LAWSUIT HITS TWO VENDORS OF 'ORGANICS'

AMY I. STICKEL

SAN DIEGO -- A class-action lawsuit filed here recently alleges that two suppliers, including a division of Dole, marketed bananas that were certified organic but actually contained fungicides.

According to at least one industry source, this is the first lawsuit to involve the organics industry, which is largely self-regulated. Two suppliers and two cer-tifying agencies were named in the lawsuit, which was filed by Nina Brothers, a homeopathic practitioner, according to one news report.

Although there are no federal regulations that govern the organics industry, California is one of a dozen or so states that has implemented laws regulating the industry. The suit charges that the defendants violated state laws by labeling produce treated with fungicides as certified organic.

The suppliers named were Made in Nature, San Rafael, Calif., a division of Dole Food Co., Westlake Village, Calif.; and the Mexican American Fruit Co., National City, Calif. The certifying agencies involved were the Organic Crop Improvement Association, Bellefontaine, Ohio, and Quality Assurance International, San Diego.

Tom Pernice, vice president of public affairs for Dole, said the allegations against Made in Nature are unfounded.

"There is no validity to this suit," he said.

Myra Velazquez, manager of Mexican American Fruit Co., also told SN that the charges are unfounded.

"We're going to fight this," she said. "There is definitely nothing to it. We're standing behind our product."