National Organic Standards Board Meeting Tentative Agenda | April 2018 

i Revised: 4/13/2018 – subject to change

Tucson University Hotel | Tucson, Arizona | Rooms: Sabino and Pima

April 25-27, 2018

Tentative schedule at a glance:

Tue/Thu

Apr 17 & 19

Wednesday

Apr 25

Thursday 

Apr 26

Friday

Apr 27

MORNING

- Call to Order/Welcome/ 

 Intros/Secretary’s report 

- NOSB report 

- USDA, AMS, NOP update

- Break

- Public comments 

- Panel 1 - Imports 

- Panel 2 - Imports

- Panels 1 & 2 –

 group discussion

 

- Handling 

 Subcommittee

- Crops 

 Subcommittee

AFTERNOON

-Public 

comment 

webinar(s)

1 - 4pm ET

- Public comments 

 continued 

 

- Group photo

- CACS

- Livestock 

 Subcommittee

 

- Materials 

 Subcommittee

- Deferred proposals/Final 

 votes 

- Work agendas/Materials 

 update - Summary/next 

 steps

- Other business/Closing 

 remarks 

Face-to-Face Meeting Format

• The Designated Federal Officer calls the meeting to order and adjourns the meeting. The NOSB Chair presides over

the meeting. The USDA and National Organic Program (NOP) provide the NOSB with updates, and an overview of 

petitioned substances, sunset materials, and technical reports. 

• The Board hears public comments. 

• NOSB members present Subcommittee proposals, reports and discussion documents, and discuss public comment, 

prior to voting on proposals. Final votes may be deferred to the last day of the meeting if more deliberation is 

needed. NOTE: Agenda items may be withdrawn or votes postponed at the discretion of the Board.

• There will be two 15-minute breaks (mid-morning & mid-afternoon) and a 90-minute lunch break mid-day. Recess 

and adjournment times may vary based on completion of business. 

Public Comments (Written and Oral) 

• All persons are encouraged to provide written comments via Regulations.gov.

• All persons wishing to provide oral comments are asked to sign up in advance. Instructions are available at 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/event/national-organic-standards-board-nosb-meeting-tucson-az. There are two (2) 

opportunities to provide oral comments to the Board: During webinar(s) on April 17 and 19, 2018, and during the

face-to-face meeting. Walk-in comment slots may become available on a first come-first served basis at the 

meeting, if the schedule allows.

• Each person may sign up for only one speaking slot. Commenters will be allowed a 3-minute time slot during either 

the webinar or at the face-to-face meeting. Each commenter must state his/her name and affiliation for the record 

at the beginning of their comment.
 National Organic Standards Board Meeting Tentative Agenda | April 2018 

ii Revised: 4/13/2018 – subject to change

TUE/THU

APR 17 & 19

1:00 - 4:00 

PM ET

Public comment webinar(s)

Please see the NOSB meeting webpage for login information and instructions 

WEDNESDAY APRIL 25, 201

8

8:30 AM Call to Order, Agenda Overview

Ruihong Guo, NOP Acting Deputy Administrator

Introductions

USDA representatives and NOSB members 

Secretary’s report (acceptance of Fall 2017 Meeting Summary as official record)

Scott Rice, Secretary

9:00 AM NOSB report

Tom Chapman, NOSB Chairperson

9:15 AM USDA and Agricultural Marketing Service, National Organic Program Update

Ruihong Guo, NOP Acting Deputy Administrator

Greg Ibach, Under Secretary USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Jennifer Tucker, NOP Associate Deputy Administrator

Questions and Answers with NOSB Members

10:15 AM BREAK

10:30 AM –

6:00 PM

Public comments 

~12:30 PM LUNCH

~3:45 PM BREAK

6:00 PM RECESS
 National Organic Standards Board Meeting Tentative Agenda | April 2018 

iii Revised: 4/13/2018 – subject to change

THURSDAY APRIL 26, 201

8

8:30 AM 

(Two 10 min 

breaks 

between 

panels)

Panel 1 - Imports (1 hour)

Panelists: Albrecht Benzing (CERES GmbH), Silke Fuchshofen (Organic Insights, Inc), Jake Lewin 

California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), Sam Welsch (OneCert) 

Panel 2 - Imports (1 hour)

Panelists: John Bobbe (OFARM), Peter Carlson (Terra Ingredients, LLC), Mike Dill (Organically 

Grown Company), Erin Heitkamp (Pipeline Foods), Monique Marez (Organic Trade 

Association)

Panels 1 & 2 - Group discussion (1 hour)

12:00 AM LUNCH 

1:30 PM Compliance, Accreditation, & Certification Subcommittee (CACS) 

Scott Rice, Chairperson

Topics:

Discussion document: Import oversight 

Proposal: Inspector qualifications

 Proposal: Eliminating the Incentive to Convert Native Ecosystems into Organic Crop 

 Production proposal

Subcommittee discusses proposals and documents as needed

Board votes if ready

4:15 PM BREAK

4:30 PM Livestock Subcommittee

Ashley Swaffar, Chairperson

Topics:

2020 Sunset substances review:

Alcohols: ethanol, isopropanol

Aspirin

Biologics, vaccines

Electrolytes

Glycerin

Phosphoric acid

Lime, hydrated

Mineral oil

Sucrose octanoate esters 

 Proposal: Glycolic acid - petitioned

 Proposal: Clarifying “emergency” for use of synthetic parasiticides in organic livestock 

 production

Subcommittee discusses documents as needed

Board votes if ready

6:00 PM RECESS
 National Organic Standards Board Meeting Tentative Agenda | April 2018 

iv Revised: 4/13/2018 – subject to change

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 201

8

8:30 AM Handling Subcommittee (HS) 

Lisa de Lima, Chairperson

Topics:

2020 Sunset substances review:

Calcium carbonate

Flavors

Gellan gum

Oxygen

Potassium chloride

Alginates

Calcium hydroxide

Ethylene

Glycerides (mono and di)

Magnesium stearate

Phosphoric acid

Potassium carbonate

Sulfur dioxide

Xanthan gum

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)

Gums: Arabic, Carob bean, Guar, Locust bean

Lecithin - de-oiled

Tragacanth gum

 Proposal: Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) - petitioned

Proposal: Magnesium chloride reclassification 205.605(b)

Subcommittee discusses proposals and documents as needed

Board votes if ready

10:15 AM BREAK
 National Organic Standards Board Meeting Tentative Agenda | April 2018 

v Revised: 4/13/2018 – subject to change

FRIDAY APRIL 27, 201

8

10:30 AM Crops Subcommittee 

Steve Ela, Chairperson

Topics:

2020 Sunset Substances review:

Alcohols: ethanol, isopropanol 

Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate 

Newspaper or other recycled paper

Plastic mulch and covers 

Aqueous potassium silicate 

Elemental sulfur

Lime sulfur 

Sucrose octanoate esters 

Hydrated lime 

Liquid fish products 

Sulfurous acid 

Ethylene 

Microcrystalline cheesewax 

Potassium chloride 

Proposal: Polyoxin D zinc salt - petitioned

Proposal: Sulfur (as a molluscicide) - petitioned

Subcommittee discusses proposals and documents as needed

Board votes if ready

12:30 PM LUNCH 

2:00 PM Materials Subcommittee 

Harriet Behar, Chairperson

Topics:

 Discussion Document: Protecting the Genetic Integrity of Seed Grown on Organic Land

Subcommittee discusses proposals and documents as needed

Board votes if ready

2:45 PM Deferred proposals/Final votes 

3:00 PM NOSB work agendas/Materials update - summary and next steps

3:15 PM Other business and closing remarks

3:30 PM ADJOURN