On April 16, 2007, the Mark Bradley, the head of the National Organic Program, sent a letter to Marc Peperzak, the CEO of the Aurora Organic Dairy. Mr. Bradley summarized the results of the USDA’s investigation into complaints filed with the Agency by The Cornucopia Institute concerning Aurora’s organic farming practices:
- During the course of our investigation of Aurora Organic Dairy, we identified willful violations of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.), and the regulations thereunder (7 CPR Part 205), by Aurora Organic Dairy. The violations are listed in the enclosed document, Aurora Organic Dairy, Case No. M-005-06, Violations by Aurora Organic Dairy, dated March 7, 2007.
Of the 14 separate violations detailed in the USDA’s letter to Aurora, perhaps this one is the most damning:
From December 5,2003, to the present, AOD sold, labeled and represented milk as organically produced, when such milk was not produced and handled in accordance with the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations (7 C.F.R. part 205), in willful violation of7 C.F.R. — 205.102, 205.200 and 205.400(a).
You can read the full letter here that eventually led to the enforcement action on August 29.
