Standards: The Groundwork Protecting 

Organic Integrity 

With rising consumer interest and the sale of 

organic products topping double-digit growth, 

consumers look to the USDA for assurance that 

products labeled with its organic seal meet 

consistent, uniform standards. The National 

Organic Program (NOP), a regulatory program 

housed in the USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS), lays the groundwork providing 

that assurance. The NOP develops and updates 

regulations and policies for organically-produced 

agricultural products to create a level playing field for certified farms and 

businesses. These standards establish a foundation that allows AMS to meet 

its core mission of protecting organic integrity.

AMS continually improves standards that advance USDA’s organic agriculture 

goals and support consumer confidence. Over the past year, we have 

published a number of proposed rules, final rules, guidance documents, 

and handbook instructions that set the direction for organic farms and 

businesses.

Since April 2015, AMS has:

• Clarified organic standards, by publishing the National List Sunset 2015 

Final Rule, a proposed rule to remove substances from National List of 

Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List), the Origin of Livestock 

Proposed Rule, and most recently, the Organic Livestock and Poultry 

Practices Proposed Rule.

• Worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to 

implement the Final Guidance on Natural Resource and Biodiversity 

Conservation and the NRCS Conservation Activity Plan for Organic System 

Plans.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE | AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE | NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM

Organic Integrity from Farm to Table, Consumers Trust the Organic Label.

Table of Contents

1 The Groundwork Protecting 

Organic Integrity

3 Transitioning to Organic 

Certification

4 National List Updates

5 Compliance & Enforcement/

Appeals Summary 

6 Helping Organics Grow with 

Clear Livestock and Poultry 

Standards 

8 Market News: New Web page 

Features Organic Prices

NOP Staff Updates

9 The Organic Industry 

Continues Double-Digit 

Growth with INTEGRITY

10 Organic Integrity Database 

Updates: Release Summary 

and Upcoming Plans 

12 NOSB Meeting Update

16 Program Handbook + Web 

Updates

Visit the NOP online at www.ams.usda.gov/nop Join us on Twitter: @USDA_AMS | #USDAorganic

May 2016 Newsletter

continued on page 2
• Published Final Guidance on Substances Used in PostHarvest Handling of Organic Products, Policy Memos on 

Electrolyzed Water and Nanotechnology, and updated 

guidelines for the National List Petition Process.

• Facilitated three public meetings of the National 

Organic Standards Board; accepted hundreds of public 

comments related to the development of the organic 

standards.

• Selected members for a task force on hydroponic 

and aquaponic production practices to help clarify 

standards in this production area.

This year, the AMS plans to publish proposed rules for 

aquaculture, pet food, and apiculture, as well as a Private 

Label Instruction, final guidance on the classification of 

materials and draft guidance on the use of treated lumber 

in organic production and pesticide drift.

AMS actively engages stakeholders to develop and 

revise the organic standards. To foster that community 

engagement and facilitate input from all parts of the 

organic community, the NOP works closely with the 

National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), a federal 

advisory committee made up of 15 dedicated public 

volunteers and appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. 

The NOSB meets twice per year, in a public forum, to 

discuss items on its work agenda, vote on proposals, hear 

public comments, and make recommendations to the 

Secretary; the NOP uses these recommendations as the 

basis for creating clear standards.

Consumers and community stakeholders know the 

USDA stands behind the standards that its organic seal 

represents. Developing clear standards is the first step 

in building that confidence, establishing trust, and to 

protecting organic integrity.

The NOSB held its spring meeting April 25—27 in 

Washington, DC. This year’s call for nominations to 

serve on the Board is now open. The NOP is seeking to 

fill five vacancies on the NOSB, including: an individual 

with expertise in areas of environmental protection and 

resource conservation; an organic producer who owns 

or operates an organic operation; an organic handler or 

processor who owns or operates an organic handling 

operation; a representative of a public or consumer 

interest group; and a scientist (toxicology, ecology or 

biochemistry). Applications will be accepted through June 

3, 2016. For more information, visit https://www.ams.usda.

gov/rules-regulations/organic/nosb/nomination-process.

Sincerely,

Miles V. McEvoy

NOP Deputy Administrator

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USDA National Organic Program

Standards: The Groundwork Protecting Organic Integrity, cont’d

continued from page 1

2
Transitioning to Organic Certification

More and more farmers are entering the organic market. 

Just last year, the number of certified operations in the 

U.S. grew by almost 12 percent – more than double the 

growth rate of 2014. So how do farmers, ranchers, and food 

processors make the transition to organic? We talked to one 

farming family about their experience, learning how they 

used USDA programs to help with the transition process.

Conner Voss got his family farm certified organic in 2015. 

Diggin’ Roots Farm is a diversified fruit, vegetable, and 

livestock operation in Molalla, Oregon, midway between 

Portland and Salem. “We sell our product direct – through 

a CSA, at a local farmers market, and direct to restaurants 

– and our customers kept asking about our growing 

practices,” said Conner. “We wholeheartedly believe in 

the practices and philosophy of organic production, and 

certification offers a quick and easy starting place for our 

conversations with our community. Beyond that, being 

certified is a way for our small farm to actively engage in 

the larger organic movement by helping define and shape 

what organic is.”

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 

programs provided Diggin’ Roots with financial assistance 

for conservation practices during the transition to 

organic. “Through NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives 

Program’s Organic Initiative, we established nitrogen-fixing 

cover crop mixes, developed a nutrient budget for using 

organic fertilizers, and built a high tunnel. Our current 

contract includes extensive perennial plantings for buffers 

and beneficial insects. NRCS has really helped us fine tune 

our fertility and address a broad range of conservation 

concerns on our farm,” said Conner. “In addition, we 

use the Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) Organic 

Certification Cost Share program to defray the cost of 

organic certification. It can cover up to 75 percent of our 

certification fees each year. Our first year of certification 

cost us about $300, which ended up being less than .5 

percent of our gross sales- well worth it for the time it saved 

us in communicating our growing practices.”

USDA’s strategic plan set out a goal of helping farms like 

Diggin’ Roots obtain organic certification, and Secretary 

Vilsack issued guidance to all USDA agencies affirming 

the department-wide commitment to the organic sector. 

AMS and NRCS have taken the lead on creating new 

education and outreach tools aimed at making certification 

more accessible, attainable, and affordable for small and 

beginning farmers. Recently, AMS developed a number 

of tools to help producers understand how to make the 

transition to organic certification. The Sound & Sensible 

Certification tools provide videos, fact sheets, and 

training curricula on organic agriculture, and the Organic 

Educational Toolkit provides webinars, posters, brochures, 

and in-depth guides to USDA programs for organic farmers, 

ranchers, and food processors. NRCS also developed a 

number of conservation tools, publishing an Organic 

Farming Handbook and hosting over 30 webinars on 

organic agriculture.

This article first appeared as a USDA blog by Betsy Rakola, Organic Policy Advisor.

Access the original blog: http://blogs.usda.gov/2016/04/21/transitioning-to-organic-certification.

continued on page 4

3
USDA’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture, USDA’s Risk Management Agency, and the Sustainable Agriculture 

Research and Education Program have also funded numerous tools to help producers understand how to transition from 

conventional to organic production. Below are a few highlights.

• Organic Transition: A Business Planner for Farmers, Ranchers, and Food Entrepreneurs (University of Minnesota)

• Making the Transition to Organic: Ten Farm Profiles (University of Minnesota)

• Organic Transition Course – 15-hour online course (Rodale Institute)

• Farm Transitions: Valuing Sustainable Practices—Organic Certification (Land Stewardship Project)

Conner sums it up like this: “Farming is my intersection between purpose, family, and place. Growing food that makes 

people smile is my privilege. It is incredibly encouraging that the USDA is recognizing the value of our nation’s organic 

farms. We feel fortunate to have been provided this assistance and actively promote these programs to our peers.”

Transitioning to Organic Certification, cont’d

New Petitions Ineligible Petitions

The following new petitions have been posted on

the AMS website and sent to the NOSB for review:

• Calcium chloride, Crops

• Sulfur, Livestock

• 1-MCP (update), Crops

• Ammonium citrate, Crops

• Ammonium glycinate, Crops

• Sodium Chlorite for the generation of chlorine 

dioxide gas, Handling

New Technical Reports

• Acid-Activated Bentonite, 

Livestock

• Peracetic acid, Crops

• Peracetic acid, Handling

• Phosphates, Handling

View petitions and technical reports: www.ams.usda.gov/NOPNationalList

National List Updates

continued from page 3

4
Compliance & Enforcement/Appeals Summary

Reporting Period: Fiscal Year (FY) 2016

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COMPLIANCE & ENFORCEMENT: OVERALL SUMMARY

Q1 (Oct 2015 - Dec 2015) Q2 (Jan 2016 - May 2016)

Incoming Complaints 94 97

Completed Complaint Reviews and Investigations 82 93

APPEALS: OVERALL SUMMARY (Refer to NOP 4011: Adverse Action Appeal Process for more information)

Number of Incoming 4 8

Appeals by Disposition

Decisions 6 (includes five received in 

FY15 and one received in FY16)

0

Dismissals 0 2

Closures 6 (includes four received in 

FY15 and two received in FY16)

3 (includes appeals received in 

FY15)

Note: Total reflects appeals closed in FY 2016 regardless of when cases were initiated.

SUMMARY OF INITIAL ACTIONS TAKEN

Cease & Desist Orders 8 6

Notices of Warning 22 32

Investigation Referrals 7 16

SUMMARY OF DISPOSITIONS (All NOP)

Total Number of Settlement Agreements * 5 2

Total Number of Consent Decisions 1 0

Total Amount Civil Penalties Levied ** $929,750 $16,500

Notes:

 * Not all settlement agreements include civil penalties and not all civil penalties were levied via settlement agreements.

** Total reflects the amount of penalties initially levied. Amounts may change during negotiation of settlements and 

individual penalty payments may be outstanding.

5
Helping Organics Grow with Clear Livestock and Poultry Standards

The mission of the National Organic Program, part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), is to protect the integrity 

of USDA organic products in our country and throughout the world. This means clearly defining what it means to be 

organic and enforcing those rules. Consumers look for and trust the organic seal because they know that USDA stands 

behind the standards that it represents.

In April, the USDA published a proposed rule regarding organic livestock and poultry practices (OLPP) and invited the 

public to comment. This was an important step toward strengthening consumer confidence in the label and ensuring that 

organic agriculture continues to provide economic opportunities for farmers, ranchers, and businesses around the country.

The proposal clarifies how organic producers and handlers must treat livestock and poultry to ensure their health and 

wellbeing throughout life, including transport and slaughter. It also clarifies existing USDA organic regulations and 

proposes to add new requirements for organic livestock and poultry living conditions, transport, and slaughter practices. 

For example, the proposed rule establishes minimum indoor and outdoor space requirements for organic poultry and 

clarifies that outdoor spaces must be soil-based.

continued on page 7

6
Livestock and Poultry Standards, cont’d

continued from page 6

View Proposed Rule and Supporting Documents:

https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/

organic-livestock-and-poultry-practices

• Proposed Rule at the Federal Register

• Open Stakeholder Call Transcript - 

April 7, 2016

• April 15, 2016 Public Webinar Slides and 

Recording 

Submit Comments:

Interested parties may submit written 

comments online or by mail.

• Online: Visit www.regulations.gov.

Search for AMS-NOP-15-0012. Select the 

document link and follow the instructions for 

submitting comments.

• By mail, send comments to:

Paul Lewis Ph.D.

Director Standards Division

National Organic Program

USDA-AMS-NOP, Room 2646-So.

Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Ave. SW. 

Washington, DC 20250-0268

• Comments due: June 13, 2016 

OLPP Proposed Rule:

Key resources available online

This proposed rule is based on extensive input from the organic community and stakeholders about organic livestock 

production and handling. It’s also consistent with direction from Congress in the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), 

which directed the USDA to hold public hearings and develop detailed regulations to guide the implementation of 

the organic standards for livestock products. OFPA, the regulations that created the National Organic Program, also 

explained that USDA would develop species-specific 

guidelines and space requirements for organic animals. 

Furthermore, the National Organic Standards Board 

(NOSB), a 15-member advisory committee that represents 

all sectors of the organic community, has made a number 

of recommendations that were vital to the development of 

the rule. The large number of public comments submitted 

to the NOSB, as well as other communication with the 

USDA, tells us that most stakeholders strongly support 

rulemaking in this area.

The total retail market for organic products is now 

valued at more than $39 billion in the United States. Last 

month, AMS announced that the organic sector grew by 

12 percent from 2014 to 2015. USDA has strengthened 

programs that support organic operations over the past 

seven years, helping to make organic certification more 

accessible, attainable, and affordable through a “Sound and 

Sensible” approach. This initiative includes streamlining the 

certification process, focusing on enforcement and working 

with farmers and processors to correct small issues before 

they become larger ones.

USDA has also established a number of resources to help 

organics producers find technical and financial resources 

to help them grow domestically and abroad. The site www.

usda.gov/organic creates a one-stop-shop for operators, 

and USDA has made market and pricing information 

for approximately 250 organic products available free 

of charge through USDA’s Market News. In 2015, USDA 

made more than $11.5 million available to assist organic 

operations with their certification costs.

USDA strongly supports organic agriculture and is 

committed to establishing a level playing field that 

protects all organic farms and businesses. Transparency 

and public participation are vital to USDA’s work in 

organics. We encourage the organic community, 

consumers, industry, and other stakeholders to provide 

comments and feedback on the proposed rule. Here is 

the Federal Register link: https://www.federalregister.

gov/articles/2016/04/13/2016-08023/national-organicprogram-organic-livestock-and-poultry-practices.

7
The NOP is committed to developing its current staff and hiring new team members to strengthen

our ongoing support for the organic community. We are pleased to welcome a new employee to

NOP’s Accreditation & International Activities Division. We also want to congratulate a long-term staff 

member on her retirement.

Accreditation & International Activities Division Hires New Accreditation Manager...

Rebecca Claypool

On April 4, Rebecca Claypool joined the Accreditation and International Activities 

Division (AIA). Rebecca Claypool joins AIA as an Accreditation Manager. Over the past 

ten years, she has participated in the organic farming community as a grower, farm 

owner, researcher, and organic inspector/certification reviewer for Midwest Organic 

Services Association (MOSA). MOSA is an accredited certifier located in Viroqua, 

Wisconsin. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Bates College (Maine) and a 

Master’s degree in Agroecology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Congratulations on Your Retirement... 

Kristen Nelson

The NOP congratulates Kristen Nelson on her retirement. Kristen joined NOP in August 2014 as Chief of Staff. 

During her time here, Kristen played a vital role in managing the program’s daily activities. Prior to joining our 

team, Kristen enjoyed a long career with other government agencies, including the USDA Forest Service and the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. NOP wishes her all the best for the future and thanks her for her service to USDA. 

National Organic Program Staff Updates

Market News: New Web Page Features Organic Prices

USDA Market News has a new web page featuring its organic 

commodity price reports. Now, producers can easily find the market 

price information important to their specific needs in one place on 

the AMS website. Market News also issues a consolidated market 

report each week highlighting numerous organic commodities from 

strawberries to whole fryers, carrots to feed corn, and milk to brown 

eggs. You can find the National Weekly Organic Summary and the 

new web page on the AMS Market News website.

To access the new web page, https://www.ams.usda.gov/marketnews/organic. Links to the national summary report and AMS Market 

News website are: https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lswnos.pdf

and https://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news.

8
The Organic Industry Continues Double-Digit Growth with INTEGRITY

In April, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) released data showing that there are now more than 21,000 certified 

organic operations in the United States, and more than 31,000 around the world. These numbers represent an increase 

of almost 12 percent between 2014 and 2015, continuing the trend of rapid growth in the organic sector as consumer 

demand grows.

It’s not just the numbers themselves that are exciting, though. The announcement also marks the first time we released 

the data through the recently launched Organic Integrity Database, a modernized system for tracking certified organic 

operations. In the past, AMS’s National Organic Program (NOP) published the number of certified organic operations once 

a year, using data submitted annually by accredited organic certifying agencies.

With the new database – funded by the 2014 Farm Bill – organic certifiers can add new operations and report changes to 

existing operations at any time, allowing us to report updated counts of certified organic operations throughout the year.

The Organic Integrity Database, called INTEGRITY, makes it easy for anyone to search for organic farms and businesses by 

name, certification status, state, country, products, and other factors. By providing updated and accurate information about 

all certified operations, INTEGRITY will deter fraud, provide data for market research, enable stakeholders to identify market 

opportunities and make supply chain connections, support the data needs of international trading partners, and establish 

technology connections with certifiers to share more accurate and timely data.

This project is a great example of how technology investments and strong partnerships support organic integrity and 

market development. The system was built in less than 10 months with input and feedback from an engaged group of 

organic certifying agents and other stakeholders.

Moving forward, we’ll continue to refine the database and develop additional modules informed by ongoing stakeholder 

involvement. With this collaborative and inclusive approach, we’ll continue to protect organic integrity and increase access 

to information about the organic market.

Access the Organic Integrity Database, see our new reports, and download the full dataset: http://apps.ams.usda.gov/integrity.

9
Organic Integrity Database Updates:

Release Summary and Upcoming Plans

The Organic Integrity Database (INTEGRITY) has officially launched, and based on feedback so far, all appears to be 

operating smoothly! This article summarizes the INTEGRITY releases made to date, and outlines our upcoming plans. 

Have some feedback? Contact the team at: INTEGRITY@ams.usda.gov.

• Version 1.0 - October 2, 2015: AMS launched the first release of INTEGRITY. This first release provided advanced 

search functionality for the public, industry, and Federal government to determine the certification status of an organic 

operation or a specific product.

• Version 1.0.1 and 1.0.2 October 13 and November 2, 2015: Improved system performance and introduced user 

interface changes to the INTEGRITY public website.

• Version 1.1 - December 8, 2015: Launched the certifier section of INTEGRITY, allowing certifiers to enter and update 

information about certified farms and businesses, including the name and address of organic operation, certification 

status, and list of certified products. As soon as certifiers publish data, it is immediately available to the public.

• Version 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 - December 29, 2015 and January 11, 2016: Corrected and clarified site text based on user 

feedback; fixed issues reported by system users; and improved functionality, error messaging, and data visibility.

• Version 2.0 – January 21, 2016: Launched new features for INTEGRITY: a new Reports tab with monthly data history 

snapshots, historical annual operation lists, and common reports on certified operation counts by Country, US State/

Territory, and Certifier; a new “search” button and the ability to search by scope; and usability improvements.

• Version 2.0.1 and 2.0.2 – February 10 and 24, 2016: Introduced text updates to Home, About and Search pages 

to improve user experience; added support for very long addresses (up to 256 characters); and fixed several issues 

reported by users.

Photo: The INTEGRITY Team recently celebrated its first anniversary; it was a year ago in March 2015 that the AMS, Harmonia, and Intact 

team held its kickoff meeting for database design and development.

continued on page 11

10
Organic Integrity Database Updates:

Release Summary and Upcoming Plans

• Version 2.1 – March 23, 2016: Launched several new features, including: new Operation History tab on the Operation 

Profile that shows operation and scope status change history; new Certifier Profile page; new data upload web services 

for certifiers; ability to upload .xlsm files and additional virus scanning for file uploads; and new updates to text and 

navigability to improve user experience.

Here’s a look at what is coming next in 2016!

• Continued Performance Improvements: We continue to monitor the speeds of data uploads for certifiers, and are 

responding with server upgrades and other adjustments. 

• “Find a Certifier” Search and Certifier Profiles: Replacing the current multi-page static PDF files on the website, users 

will be able to search for a certifier based on their headquarters or other office locations, and easily obtain contact 

information. Accreditation documents will also be linked to the new Profiles. Certifiers will be able to add their office 

locations.

• Reinstatement Tracking: Will ensure that suspended operations are not certified without going through a reinstatement 

process with NOP. 

• Flat File Data Exports: In response to popular demand, this feature will provide all operation, scope, and item/product 

info on a single spreadsheet.

• Improved Search: Category, item name, and item varieties will all be searchable and displayed in search results and 

exports (for items/products with certified status); search by operation status effective date (for instance, find newly 

certified operations in the past 3 months); adding exact word product/item search (so users can find gelatin instead of 

gelatinized); and adding AND and OR radio buttons to product search interface, so users can find a single place to buy 

their organic peaches and basil.

• Continued Emphasis on Data Update Frequency and Quality: INTEGRITY will ultimately only be as good as the data 

within it. As such, we will continue to work with certifiers to encourage them to complete frequent data updates, and to 

improve and expand on the data they submit for each operation.

Keep an eye on the Organic Insider for information about a June 1 webinar about 

upcoming database developments!

continued from page 10

11
On April 25-27, 2016, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) held its biannual public meeting in Washington, DC. 

Over the course of three days, the NOSB, under the leadership of NOSB Chair Ms. Tracy Favre, evaluated 21 proposals, 

discussion documents, and reports, and began its review of 15 Sunset 2018 materials. The Board also heard oral testimony 

from members of the public on a wide range of issues. The NOSB received over 3,000 written public comments before the 

meeting, and heard oral testimony from 134 members of the public on a wide range of issues.

The meeting began with introductions by each Board member, including six newly appointed members, and acceptance 

of the Fall 2015 meeting minutes. The Board then heard introductory remarks from Elanor Starmer, Administrator of the 

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), who welcomed the Board and stakeholders to DC. Miles McEvoy, Deputy 

Administrator of the National Organic Program (NOP), presented an update on the National Organic Program and Betsy 

Rakola, AMS Organic Policy Advisor, provided an update on the USDA’s Organic Working Group. Dr. Lisa Brines, NOP 

National List Manager, provided an update about materials under sunset review, and petitions for changes to the National 

List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. During the meeting, the NOSB heard an update from the Hydroponics Task 

Force and hosted a four-member panel of experts on Emerging Techniques in Agricultural Biotechnology. The panel and 

Board members discussed the challenges associated with emerging techniques and excluded methods terminology. A 

summary of the NOSB’s recommendations and actions is provided below. The final recommendations from the April 2016 

meeting will be posted at www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings.

Note: The NOSB is an advisory body to the Secretary of Agriculture. NOSB recommendations are not policy unless AMS 

issues final rules, final guidance, final instructions, or a policy memorandum that adopts the NOSB recommendations. They 

are not part of the USDA organic regulations unless such action is taken.

Front Row (L to R): Zea Sonnabend, Lisa de Lima, Harriet Behar, Jean Richardson, Ashley Swaffar, Carmela Beck, Jesse Buie, Tracy Favre

Back Row (L to R): Tom Chapman, Emily Oakley, Scott Rice, Dan Seitz, A-dae Briones, Harold Austin, Francis Thicke

Photos: (Left) Meeting attendees; (Center) Deputy Administrator Miles McEvoy presents NOP Update; (Right) Emerging Techniques Panelists

Update From National Organic Standards Board Meeting

continued on page 13

12
Update From National Organic Standards Board Meeting, cont’d

continued from page 12

Petitioned Substances. The NOSB reviewed several petitions to amend the National List of Allowed and Prohibited 

Substances (National List). This section of the USDA organic regulations identifies the synthetic substances that may be 

used and the nonsynthetic substances that are prohibited in organic crop and livestock production. For organic processed 

products, the allowed non-organic ingredients are also included on the National List. If an NOSB proposal receives a 

decisive vote (2/3 majority) by Board members in favor of the proposed motion, it becomes a recommendation to the 

USDA, and is provided to the Secretary through the AMS National Organic Program.

Petitions

Use Area Substance Section NOSB Recommendation

Crops Hypochlorous acid 205.601 Classified as synthetic; add to section 205.601, with 

annotation.

Crops Soy wax 205.601 Classified as synthetic; listing motion referred back to 

Subcommittee.

Crops Squid and squid byproducts (pH adjusted with 

acids)

205.601 Classified as synthetic; add “squid byproducts” to 

section 205.601, with annotation.

Crops Ash from manure burning 205.602 Motion to amend listing failed. Substance will remain 

prohibited for organic crop production.

Livestock Hypochlorous acid 205.603 Classified as synthetic; add to section 205.603, with 

annotation.

Handling Hypochlorous acid 205.605(b) Classified as synthetic; add to section 205.605(b), 

with annotation.

Handling Sodium dodcylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) 205.605(b) Referred back to Subcommittee.

Handling Sodium lactate and potassium lactate 205.605(b) Classified as synthetic; add to section 205.605, with 

annotations.

Handling Oat beta-glucan 205.606 Classified as agricultural; not recommended for 

National List.

Other National List Recommendations

Use Area Substance Section NOSB Recommendation

Livestock Lidocaine 205.603 Annotation change recommended to reduce 

withdrawal periods.

Livestock Procaine 205.603 Annotation change recommended to reduce 

withdrawal periods.

Livestock Parasiticides 205.603 Annotation changes recommended for sections 

205.238 and 205.603.

Handling Ancillary substances proposal 205.605 Recommended a definition, criteria for compliance, 

and procedure for the review of ancillary substances. 

Recommendation passed.

continued on page 14

13
Sunset 2018 Review. The NOSB must review every substance on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances 

every five years to confirm that it continues to meet all required criteria under the Organic Foods Production Act and USDA 

organic regulations. This review is called “sunset review.” At this meeting, the NOSB began its review of 15 listings as part of 

the Sunset 2018 review. Proposals to remove any of these substances will be considered at the Fall 2016 NOSB meeting.

Sunset 2018 Review

No Action. Summary Posted for Public Comment

Use Area Substance National List Section

Crops Copper sulfate 205.601(a) 205.601(e)

Crops Ozone gas 205.601(a)

Crops Peracetic Acid 205.601(a) 205.601(i)

Crops EPA List 3 Inerts 205.601(m)

Crops Calcium chloride 205.602(c) 

Handling Agar-agar 205.605(a) 

Handling Animal enzymes 205.605(a) 

Handling Calcium sulfate-mined 205.605(a) 

Handling Carrageenan 205.605(a) 

Handling Glucono delta-lactone 205.605(a) 

Handling Tartaric acid 205.605(a) 

Handling Cellulose 205.605(b) 

Handling Potassium hydroxide 205.605(b) 

Handling Silicon dioxide 205.605(b) 

Handling Colors: Beta-carotene extract 205.606

Other Recommendations

Policy and Procedure Manual Revisions

The NOSB issued a recommendation to update the NOSB Policy and Procedures Manual. The objective of the 

recommendation is to revise the manual to reflect the current procedures for the collaborative and productive functioning 

of the NOSB.

Other Business

Hydroponics Task Force Update

Two members of the Hydroponic and Aquaponic Task Force attended the NOSB meeting to provide an update on their 

work in preparing a report to the Board. Their presentation highlighted the two key perspectives that will be presented 

in the task force’s report. The first perspective distinguished “bioponic” systems from traditional hydroponic systems, 

and described how bioponic production can align with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) and the USDA organic 

regulations. According to some task force members, bioponic production is unique because these systems use the same 

inputs, processes, and principles as organic soil-based growing. Under this perspective, the key characteristic that makes 

bioponics compliant with organic production standards is that plants derive nutrients from plant and animal materials in 

water, which are released by the same biological processes as those which occur in soil.

Update From National Organic Standards Board Meeting, cont’d

continued from page 13

continued on page 15

14
The opposing perspective illustrated how hydroponic and bioponic systems do not align with the regulations or the 

founding principles of organic agriculture. According to this perspective, good soil management and soil health should be 

the principal source of fertility for plants, and various requirements in the regulations make this clear. 

The task force plans to submit its report to the NOSB in June 2016. The NOSB will use this report to make an additional 

recommendation to AMS. Based on NOSB’s recommendation, AMS will determine how to move forward to establish a clear 

policy on the issue. 

Panel on Emerging Technologies

The NOSB invited a panel of experts to provide their perspectives on the efforts of the Materials Subcommittee to 

better define what is meant by “excluded methods” in 7 CFR 205.2; Terms Defined. All of the panelists articulated that 

the subcommittee had gone a long way towards identifying the genetic engineering (GE) technologies that would be 

incompatible with organic agriculture. While everyone agreed that most of the proposed definitions and criteria were 

inclusive enough to capture a wide range of species beyond plants, some minor adjustments were offered. The panel also 

highlighted the high costs associated with detecting the use of some GE technologies, and discussed questions about 

who should ultimately pay for that. The subcommittee responded that more research was needed to delineate where the 

greatest risk of contamination existed (seed, pollination, or post-harvest handling). All of the panelists were willing to work 

directly with the Materials Subcommittee to continue to refine the definitions and subcommittee proposals.

Updates and Reports

Emily Brown Rosen from the NOP Standards Division provided an update to the NOSB about the Inerts Working Group and 

its ongoing work to develop a process for review of inert substances in pesticide formulations.

The Compliance, Accreditation and Certification Subcommittee provided a verbal report on assessment of soil conservation 

practices. 

The Materials Subcommittee presented two discussion documents: Excluded methods terminology and seed purity. A 

separate proposal on excluded methods terminology was also referred back to the Subcommittee for additional work. 

The Handling Subcommittee provided a discussion document on an annotation change to the listing of nutrient vitamins 

and minerals on the National List. The Policy Development Subcommittee presented a discussion document on the 

reorganization of the sunset review timeline. The Crops Subcommittee presented a discussion document proposing an 

annotation change to prohibit nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) as inert ingredients in pesticide formulations.

For additional information about the meeting, please visit www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings.

Update From National Organic Standards Board Meeting, cont’d

NOSB meetings, held twice a year, are an important forum for public comment, and support transparency in the 

organic standards development process. Learn more at www.ams.usda.gov/nosb.

Fall 2016 Meeting

November 16 – 18, 2016

8:30 am to 6:00 pm daily

Chase Park Plaza Hotel

212 N. Kingshighway Blvd

St. Louis, Missouri 63108

Spring 2017 Meeting

April 19 – 21, 2017

8:30 am to 6:00 pm daily

Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel

1550 Court Pl

Denver, Colorado 80202

Upcoming Meetings: National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)

continued from page 14

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Program Handbook. The National Organic Program Handbook is a compilation of guidance documents, policy memos, 

and instructions intended to clarify policies and assist those who own, manage, or certify organic operations in complying 

with the USDA organic regulations. AMS has updated several of these resource documents since our last newsletter. 

Updated documents are linked below and available online at www.ams.usda.gov/NOPProgramHandbook.

• USDA NRCS Conservation Activity Plan 138 for Organic System Plans and Requirements for Certifying Agent 

Technical Service Providers (NOP 2617, updated)

• National List Petition Guidelines (NOP 3011, updated)

• Personnel Performance Evaluations (NOP 2027, updated)

Rulemaking

• Proposed Rule: Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices

Sound & Sensible Resources. AMS-NOP hosts a group of web pages featuring an array of resources to help simplify and 

streamline organic certification and compliance for farmers and businesses. Developed in conjunction with many partners 

across the country, these Sound & Sensible resources are making organic certification more accessible, attainable, and 

affordable. Read more: http://www.ams.usda.gov/report-presentation/sound-sensible.

• Sound & Sensible, Launch 4: Spanish Resources -- English | Spanish

• Sound & Sensible, Overview Video

Other Resource Materials

• Memo to the NOSB: Response to the National Organic Standards Board (October 2015)

• Lists of Accredited Certifying Agents

• Quarterly Compliance & Enforcement/Appeals Summary

• Enforcement Documents (see Enforcement Actions)

National Organic Program Handbook + Web Updates

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