FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Local consumer advocate runs for national standards board
Washington State leads the way on farm and food standards
Seattle, WA (August 8, 2000) — A consumer advocate from Seattle may be headed to Washington D.C. to help set national policy.
Goldie Caughlan, the Nutrition Education Manager for PCC Natural Markets, is vying for an appointment to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) as a consumer representative. NOSB members are appointed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to recommend policy and standards for organic agricultural methods and products. The USDA is now in the final stages of establishing regulations for organic food production.
Caughlan has worked as a consumer advocate for 25 years and was one of the earliest advocates of organically grown foods. Some of the NOSB's most critical work will take place in the next five years. Caughlan says she sees this as an opportunity to make a difference.
"For many years," says Caughlan, "members of our community have told me they want organics to be affordable and that they want farmers to make a living. They want organics to be something they can feel confident about bringing into their home. They want organic labels that are sensible and understandable. They've told me they want organic production to become the 'norm' in this country, not the exception. They want their children and grandchildren — all children — to have an organic future. They want to see the pesticides and other agricultural toxins disappear from the rivers and streams. I agree and this is why I've made the decision to run for the NOSB."
The NOSB is the link between consumers and the regulatory standards on organic products. It consists of members representing various interests in the organic community such as growers, processors, retailers and consumers.
Washington state has long been recognized as a leader in organic standards. Organic advocates from Washington have played key roles so far in defining the language of the organic regulations.
Caughlan has a wealth of experience that makes her exceptionally qualified for this position. Forty-four years professional and board member experience has contributed to a strong knowledge of consumer food safety issues, nutrition, the organic and natural products market, legislative policies and the regulatory process. She is recognized as a leader in local and national industry communities.
PCC's Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Voltz, says Caughlan's candidacy is a logical extension of her years of work as a consumer educator and informed organic advocate. "She would work to ensure that organic products continue to be produced to a high standard and continue to raise the bar on those standards in the future," he says. PCC Natural Markets is the largest consumer-owned retailer of natural and organic products in the United States.
Background Information
Goldie Caughlan has been PCC's Nutrition Education Manager for 17 years. She founded and developed FoodWorks A Learning Program™, a consumer education program that now offers approximately 400 cooking, nutrition and health education classes each year. She trains and educates staff about organic and natural products as well as food regulation policies, labeling and other legislative issues.
Before joining PCC's staff, Caughlan served on the Board of Trustees for Puget Consumers Co-op and on the board of directors for the Washington Public Interest Research Group and Nutrition Education Works. In 1985, she organized a consumer group called Consumers United for Food Safety to address food irradiation and to promote stronger food labeling rules.
Caughlan's public outreach earned her an appointment to serve on the Food Safety Enhancement Advisory Committee of the Washington State Department of Agriculture from 1992 to 1997. She was appointed to the Washington State Organic Advisory Board as a consumer representative for three terms, from 1991 to 1998. Caughlan also served on the board of directors of the national Organic Trade Association (OTA) for two terms.
Currently, Caughlan is serving her second term on the board of the Provender Alliance, a Northwest trade association consisting of natural and organic processors, wholesalers, brokers and retailers. She also serves on the board of the PCC Farmland Fund, which secures threatened farmland and preserves it for organic production.
Caughlan has received numerous awards, including a national award for consumer education from the National Nutritional Foods Association (1997) as well as a regional award, the Pioneer Award, from the Northwest Regional Nutritional Foods Association (1999).