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National List: Materials Update

Lisa M. Brines, Ph.D.

NOP Standards Division

National Organic Standards Board Meeting

October 26, 2015

Stowe, Vermont
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Evaluation Criteria for Materials

• Criteria are provided for in the Organic Foods 

Production Act of 1990 (OFPA)

• Petition guidelines, technical report evaluation 

questions and NOSB checklists align with OFPA 

criteria

• Different criteria for production uses vs. handling

• Additional criteria for synthetic processing aids and 

adjuvants at § 205.600(b)
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This meeting:

• 6 petitioned materials on the agenda

• 198 material listings for Sunset 2017 

(meeting #2 for Sunset)

• NOSB will complete its Sunset 2017 review 

at this meeting
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Outstanding Petitions - Crops

This meeting:

• Laminarin

• Lignin sulfonate (to remove)

• Sulfuric acid

• Seaweed extracts (aquatic plants extracts)
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Outstanding Petitions - Crops

Under Subcommittee Review:

• Aluminum sulfate*

• Ash from manure burning

• Soy wax

• Squid and Squid Byproducts*

Petitions are posted on the NOP website

* Technical report in development
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Withdrawn Petitions - Crops

– Anaerobic digestate - pH adjusted with sulfuric 

acid

Petition is posted on the NOP website
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Outstanding Petitions - Livestock

Under Subcommittee review:

• Acid-activated bentonite

• Aluminum sulfate

• Sodium bisulfate

• Aquaculture petitions (x10)

Petitions are posted on the NOP website
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Outstanding Petitions – Handling

This meeting:

• Sodium lactate and potassium lactate

• Flavors
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Outstanding Petitions – Handling

Under Subcommittee Review

• Hypochlorous acid*

• Oat beta-glucan

Petitions are posted on the NOP website

* Technical report now available
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Voting Procedures

• For petitioned substances, NOSB votes on two 

motions:

– 1st motion: Classification (if not previously classified)

• Synthetic / Nonsynthetic

• Agricultural / Nonagricultural

– 2nd motion: To list/remove/amend

• 2/3 majority needed for decisive vote
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Sunset 2017 Materials

• The majority of materials on the National List 

are scheduled to Sunset in 2017

• The complete list of Sunset 2017 materials is 

available on the agenda
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Annotation Changes

• Proposals for annotation changes will be 

considered separate from Sunset 2017

• Because they are not tied to the sunset 

timeline, annotation changes can also be 

further considered at future NOSB meetings
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Sunset 2018 Preview

• 15 listings for crop production and handling 

materials

• Sunset dates: May 29, 2018 and November 3, 2018

• Will be considered at Spring 2016 and Fall 2016 

NOSB meetings
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Sunset 2018 Preview

Technical Reports in Development:

• Peracetic acid (Crops)

• Carrageenan (Handling)

• Cellulose (Handling)

• Glucono delta-lactone (Handling)

• Potassium Hydroxide (Handling)
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Sunset 2018 Preview

• National List materials and sunset dates are 

available in the NOP Handbook

• See NOP 5611: National List Sunset Dates
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Update – Petition Process

• NOP is continuing to work on implementing 

two NOSB recommendations from April 2014 

to update the National List Petition Process, 

including changes to Confidential Business 

Information

• The new procedures will become effective 

after publication in the Federal Register
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Thank you!