ORGANIC: State seal is important

Writer Michele Sheets did not do her homework in her article "A tough challenge: Buy Local, fresh food," (The Press, June 2, 2010). In her article about Cable Creek Farms and its community supported agriculture program, Ms. Sheets said repeatedly that the owners, Dave and Beth Tysdal and Kris Carey, were involved in organic gardening and selling "100 percent organic grass-fed local beef."

According to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture Organic Certification Web site, any business operating within the state of Idaho that claims to produce or market organic products must submit to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture an application, payment of appropriate fees, a producer/handler organic plan with maps, and undergo inspection during the growing season. According to certification program manager Brandon Lamb, Cable Creek Farm has neither applied for nor received state of Idaho organic certification.

People who buy organic products want to know that what they are buying are indeed organic. That's why state certification is so important. Purchasers of organic products should not have to rely on the producer's Web site or a newspaper article. They can rely on the state's Organic Certification Seal.

I hope the owners of Cable Creek Farm will apply for state organic certification or, failing that, cease describing their agricultural products as organic.

KAREN CHARBONNEAU

Post Falls