Almond Growers Sue USDA
by Alex Smith, San Francisco, California 
on 09.13.08
California Almond Growers Sue Over Controversial Raw Almond Treatment
Fifteen almond growers and nut handlers filed a suit against the USDA over a legally mandated treatment of California-grown raw almonds. They growers hope to repeal the mandate. A year ago, the USDA issued a requirement that raw almonds be steam treated or sprayed with propylene oxide (a carcinogen recognized by the EPA) before making their way onto the market. More on the health and market implications of the almond pasteurization requirement below the fold.
US Grown Organic Almonds Disappearing
The USDA's almond pasteurization mandate came after two salmonella breakouts from the crop in the last decade. While the USDA could not find the overall reason for the outbreaks, they did trace one outbreak back to an almond "factory farm" growing the crop on over 9,000 acres.
Instead of only requiring the pasteurization and safer practices at large scale almond farms, the USDA mandates small-scale and family do so as well. As a result, the organic and raw almond business in the States has more or less disappeared. Now only 1% of organic almonds are grown in the US. People looking to buy organic, raw almonds now must buy nuts from abroad or are buying nuts labeled "raw" despite being processed by heat or the fumigant.
The lawsuit contends that the USDA has overstepped their boundaries as a regulatory system whose authority is limited to dirt and mold on, and appearance of almonds. They are also required to gauge public input on a mandate like the one they imposed in 2007, an action they failed to take.
Not only is the organic almond business further marginalized with the regulation, consumers are also frustrated with the USDA's move: “For those of us who are interested in eating fresh and wholesome food the USDA’s plan, to protect the largest corporate agribusinesses against liability, amounts to the adulteration of our food supply,” said Jill Richardson, a consumer activist and blogger, quoted by The Cornucopia Institute.
Via: The Cornucopia Institute and the AP
More on Almonds
Bees and Almonds
Almond Pasteurization
Organic Growers Roast Pasteurization Plan
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Almonds are about to expensive for my budget anyhow. If they get sprayed with chemicals, I will have to just not buy them.
Hmm, from the headline, I thought this was about allowing the use of the pesticide clothianidin and it's role in causing colony collapse disorder in bees (almonds are completely dependent on bees for fertilization).
It's too bad this has come about. I hope that raw almonds can be sold once again. If a warning label is needed, so be it, but let the people make the choice.
While I think raw food and raw food eaters are on a good thing does pasteurization do anything to the health value of the almond? I find it a little confusing that raw food eaters would be against steam. If pasteurization means avoiding horrible terrible illness and possible death from eating a diet that is supposed to be healthier...
I support the organic industry. But I feel that the ignorance and cultic ideals the follows most organic comsumers is hurting conventional farms who are adopting safer and more environmentally sound ways of farming. We pasteurize almonds in order to eradicate aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are molds that overwinter and spread in almond mummies and Navel Orange Worm. Aflatoxins in small amounts on almonds are highly carcinogenic. A mummy is either an almond stick-tight left on the tree after harvest or an almond lying on the orchard floor. Organic farmers have far more mummies in their orchard than conventional farms, because the orchard floors are weedy which makes it much harder to harvest all the almonds. In addition Navel Orange worms cannot be controlled using conventional sprays. Thereby organic orchards are much, much more likely to contain aflatoxins, in their nuts than conventional "factory farms." Imposing this regulation only on larger scale farms is almost as ridiculous as this article. The pastuerization process protects organic consumers and the method used to pastuerize organic almonds is by steam, which is harmless. Ensuring food safety in the organic industry is the only way it will be able to grow.
I made a mistake, aflatoxins are bi-products of molds not the molds themselves.
I maybe could live with the pasteurization, but the propylene oxide is not acceptable.
I heard a rumor about this spray, and am devastated to know that it is true. Almonds are the only nut that breaks down alkaline in your body, and it has more fiber, magnesium, and calcium than any other nut. Cancer can not live in an alkaline environment. I am not a raw-foodist, but I am vegan and prefer organic groceries. Raw foods are the best way to consume most nutrients. With the luminous threat of cancer at EVERYBODY'S doorstep, why eat food that is sprayed with something that could up the risk? I eat almost a pound of almonds a week, and now that I know this rumor to be true, I definitely will limit my intake of raw almonds... I guess I should just buy smoked almonds. Alas.