USDA Closes Complaint in Wrongful Organic Advertisement Charge Against Target Corp.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Organic Program has reportedly closed its investigation of Target Corp. for erroneously including in newspaper advertisements organic labeling on Silk® soy milk products. The Cornucopia Institute, which charged the retailer with violating federal organic regulations, apparently made public a letter obtained from the USDA indicating that Target admitted the error and is reviewing its processes to ensure the mistake is not repeated. Further details about the institute’s complaint appear in issue 324 of this Update. The organic industry watchdog has been taking a number of initiatives to bring to the public’s attention that the company making Silk® soy milk switched this year from organic to conventional soy beans. See Star Tribune, December 14, 2009; Cornucopia News, December 2009.