'USDA Organic' Isn't All Organic: How To Comment Online

Government Would Allow Non-Organic Ingredients In "Organic" Foods The Department of Agriculture has proposed controversial exemptions to its organic food certification program. Dozens of non-organic ingredients would be allowed into foods that carry the USDA Organic label. The change comes at the behest of a judge, who ordered the agency to specify which ingredients would be exempt, rather than allowing producers unspecified leeway for ingredients deemed hard to find. The public has until August 27 to comment on the proposed rule. The USDA must then consider those comments before creating its final rule, so this window of time represents an opportunity for consumers, farmers and others to have their voices heard. For more details on this story, click here. Some have found it difficult using the government's Web site to comment on the rule. Here, in six relatively easy steps, The Daily Green explains how it can be done.

1. Visit www.regulations.gov and enable your Web browser so that it allows pop-up windows from www.regulations.gov.
2. Under the heading, "Submit Comments," click "All Documents Open for Public Comment."
3. Scroll down, or search within the page, for Docket ID "AMS-TM-07-0062" in the left-hand column. The title of the proposed rule is "National Organic Program (NOP) Amendments to the National List of Allowed And Prohibited Substances."
4. To comment, click on the yellow cartoonish bubble icon in the right-most column (To first read the rule, click on the document icons to the left of the bubble icon.)
5. Fill out the fields with your personal information and comment, and then hit "Next Step" at the bottom right-hand side of the screen.
6. Preview your comment, change or print it if desired, and then hit "Submit."