Federal organic legislation makes selling produce pleasant in Washington state

On Saturday mornings, shoppers at the U-District Farmers Market on Northeast 50th Street and the Ave. are lured not only by the colorful food in the stalls but also by the bright-yellow Washington -state-certified organic sign hanging from the rafters. It signifies that the market sells chemical-free produce.

Last fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration strengthened federal guidelines concerning organic products, matching federal laws to those of Washington state.

In light of the growing craze among consumers for organic products, the pesticide-free food laws have made life easier for Washington farmers. Locally, the laws have been absorbed into the production pattern; according to organic-farmer Bill Weiss, the new federal laws did not affect his farm due to their similarity to preexisting state laws.

Other farmers at the market agreed. At Nature's Last Stand, organic-farmer John Huschle noted that Washington, as well as California and Oregon, has always had strict laws. Thus, the new federal regulations have not affected him, allowing him to avoid a potential threat to his farm and maintain his pleasant style of business.

The problem Huschle noticed in the past was that national organic standards were weak, leaving the door open for big corporations to climb on the bandwagon. This posed a threat to his business, since producing organic goods increases the costs the farmer must invest in the production process.

Polly Young, who has been selling Rootabaga County Farm cheese for four years, agreed. She described the standards of producing an organic product: no hormones or antibiotics can be given to milk-producing cows, and the feed given to the cows must be certified organic.

"It's expensive," she said. "And that's reflected in the price of the product."

The recent federal legislation offset weak legislation that allowed large corporations to produce organic goods at lower process. Small local farmers said the new strict guidelines allow them to stay competitive.