More than ten years ago, the national Organic Food Production Act (OFPA) passed with applause...and trepidation.

Some organic growers and consumers thought, "Hurray, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Senate leadership (particularly Sen. Patrick Leahy) finally recognize the thriving and growing existence of organic food production, processing and marketing in this country and overseas."

Some also thought, "Oh dear, USDA will be meddling in the affairs of a traditional agriculture in which it has no confidence or credibility."

But today certified organic food is appearing more and more on store food shelves-often, however, in stores whose owners, managers or "team players" don't really believe in its quality, but mostly because it will sell, and sell big.

In March of 1992, almost exactly 10 years ago, I sat at President George Bush's grand Economic Summit roundtable, moved to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conference room, to receive my appointment to the National Organic Standards Board. I can remember at that very table bringing up the agonizing lack of organic agriculture outreach from land grant university extension programs in every county across the United States. A USDA Extension staffer at the table agreed with my views at that meeting.

Yet, as recently as March 2002, I broached the subject again, more pointedly toward Michigan State University's extension programs, where organic/sustainable agriculture collaborative efforts exist in but five or six of the 75-80 county agencies. Some progress, but meager indeed. Less than 1% of the over 800,000 land grant acres available for crop production in Michigan are planted to organic crops.

Consumer demand for organically- and locally-grown food has reached somewhat of a crescendo lately, compelling many land grant universities and county extension agriculture agents to get more involved in the world of "organics." But one segment of organized America has been, astoundingly, a rather weak supporter of organic food production and consumption. And that would be environmental organizations.

So, the question arises: Where can we find a new impetus for organic agriculture in this state? I submit that it should come from environmental leadership. The growth of organic agriculture in this state is absolutely mandatory if we are to see reduced levels of nitrates in private drinking water wells and reduced amounts of organophospate insecticides and herbicides in the Great Lakes that surround us.

A tremendously important way for environmental groups across the state to show their "organic colors" would be to require the use of locally-grown, certified-organic food at their banquets, their annual dinners, their catered events, their picnics, etc. The production, processing, packaging and consumption of foods needs to be a top agenda item for all environmental organizations.

Were environmental groups instrumental in framing an environmentally-sound organic food production act in the U.S. and in Michigan? Did environmental groups send comments on the unbelievably poor first set of USDA rules that were to implement the OFPA? Have environmental groups noticed that the present Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) Michigan Organic Advisory Committee, impaneled in adherence to the Michigan Organic Products Act of 2000, is operating without a budget and without any staff to enforce the provisions of the Act?

The time for attention to organic agriculture in Michigan is now.