U.S. Organic Companies Are Importing More & More Organic Foods from Overseas--Undercutting U.S. Farmers

A major U.S. organic grain supplier, Clarkson Grain Co. of Cerro Gordo, Ill., has lost 25 percent of its soybean business during the past year because of surging imports from China and South America.

U.S. farmers "will lose their markets overwhelmingly if they don't meet this competition," said the grain company's president, Lynn Clarkson.

One of the most popular brands of organic soy milk, Silk, is now made in part with imported soybeans.

Organic Valley, a Wisconsin-based farmer cooperative, imports some of its beef from Australia.

Cascadian Farm, a major name in organic frozen produce that started out buying commodities in the Pacific Northwest, now buys many of its fruits and vegetables from overseas.

According to package labels, the broccoli is from Mexico, the asparagus from China, the green peas from New Zealand, and the cherries and raspberries from Chile. Even the California-style vegetable mix isn't entirely American; some of the veggies originate in China.