 | |
| Abbreviation | OCA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1998 |
| Founders | Ronnie Cummins, Rose Welch |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Organic agriculture advocacy group |
| Headquarters | Finland, Minnesota |
Membership (2015) | 850,000[1] |
National Director | Rose Welch[2] |
Revenue (2022) | $1,845,866 USD[3] |
| Website | organicconsumers.org |
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is a non-profit advocacy group for the organic agriculture industry based in Minnesota. It was founded by Ronnie Cummins and Rose Welch, a married couple. The organization's members include subscribers to their online newsletters, volunteers, supporters, and retail outlets.[1] The organization seeks to influence public opinion on a variety of issues, such as campaigning for GMO labeling, by its own advocacy campaigns and providing funds to other groups and individuals whose goals align with the organization's members, such as US Right to Know (USRTK),[4] of which the association is the sole major sponsor.
The activities of these associated lobbying bodies have been called "antiscientific" and "akin to climate change denialism" by scientists, alleging also that they seek primarily to engage in harassment of food scientists.[5]
OCA was embroiled in controversy for work they did with Andrew Wakefield to mislead the Somali immigrant community about the safety of vaccines.[6] Reporting has also exposed their close ties and financial relationship with Joseph Mercola, an alternative medicine proponent and "major funder of the anti-vaccine movement".[7][8] The Washington Post reported that Mercola had donated $3.3m to OCA.[7] Mercola and Ronnie Cummins published a book titled The Truth About COVID-19: Exposing the Great Reset, Lockdowns, Vaccine Passports, and the New Normal: Why We Must Unite in a Global Movement for Health and Freedom which the McGill Office for Science and Society described as "monumentally wrong".[7]
Cummins died in 2023. His wife Rose Welch took over as national director.[9]
- ^ a b "About OCA". Archived from the original on 2 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ^ "Staff". Organic Consumers Association. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- ^ "Nonprofit Explorer- Organic Consumers Association". ProPublica. 9 May 2013.
- ^ Bredderman, William (2021-11-05). "This Fave Mainstream Media Source Is Funded by Anti-Vaxxers". Daily Beast. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
- ^ Fedoroff, Nina; Raven, Peter; Sharp, Phillip (9 March 2015). "The anti-GM lobby appears to be taking a page out of the Climategate playbook". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
- ^ Belluz, Julia (2017-05-10). "Why Minnesota lost a battle against anti-vaccine campaigners". Vox. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
- ^ a b c Jarry, Jonathan. "The Upside-Down Doctor". Office for Science and Society. McGill University. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Bredderman, William (2021-10-24). "The Green New Deal Activists Spreading Deadly Vaccine Lies". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
- ^ Sandomir, Richard (6 June 2023). "Ronnie Cummins, Scourge of Genetically Modified Food, Dies at 76". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 September 2024.