Sure, I don't dispute that a set of rules exists. I'm just not convinced of a real need for it, and its existence serves to bolster the notion that "organic foo

Sure, I don't dispute that a set of rules exists. I'm just not convinced of a real need for it, and its existence serves to bolster the notion that "organic food" is well-defined and aligns with public perception. The "spin" is more about how organic food is portrayed, and how that affects food markets and science. It's okay for well-to-do folks to occasionally buy organic, but it's not a sustainable model for feeding a growing population and the more demand rises for organic, the harder it becomes to devote resources to a viable solution. There's no evidence that GMO's pose a risk to health or the environment, yet (for example) the EU's chief scientific officer Anne Glover was essentially sacked for her support of GM crops.