Organic Food

Thank you for opining (editorial, Dec. 17) that Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman should ban the use of sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic engineering from inclusion in the term “organic.” I particularly appreciate your recognition that consumers’ expectations of the meaning of “organic” are important. I believe that if Glickman allows these technologies, producers and consumers will largely boycott the official organic rules and create a market for truly organic food under some other designation.

I also appreciate your recognition of one of the key problems with agricultural biotechnology: accelerated production of resistant organisms and the consequent loss of useful agrichemicals.

DANILA ODER

Los Angeles