Updated June 17, 2010

Formal Recommendation by the 

National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) 

to the National Organic Program (NOP)

Date: April 29, 2011

Subject: Sunset Ethylene gas

Chair: Tracy Miedema

 

The NOSB hereby recommends to the NOP the following: 

Rulemaking Action X

Guidance Statement 

Other 

Statement of the Recommendation (Including Recount of Vote): 

Relist Ethylene Gas: §205.601 Synthetic substances allowed for use in 

organic crop production.

 (k) As plant growth regulator for pineapple flower induction

The Crops Committee motion to re-list Ethylene gas as a plant growth regulator 

for use with pineapples to induce flowering passed by a vote of 10 yes, 4 no.

 

Rationale Supporting Recommendation (including consistency with 

OFPA and NOP): 

The Crops Committee (CC) requested and received a new Supplemental 

Information Report (January 25, 2011) on the use of Ethylene gas as a plant 

growth regulator, for the induction of pineapple flowering. Reference was made 

to the current scales of production in the US (which are in Hawaii and 

California) which do not amount to a large ratio of global production. 

The CC found the report to be sufficient, while seeking information regarding 

large-scale pineapple operations outside of US borders (specific reference was 

made to Eco-LOGICA in Costa Rica for more information). The scale of 

operation and the impacts on others was discussed in order to ensure that 

varied sizes operations were referenced. 

Alternatives were mentioned, including African cases with individuals carrying 

applicators (ensuring that small-scale operators could use products thus 

applied) as well as regarding research in Taiwan which showed that cold water 

applied three to four times at the correct time and right time intervals (24 hours) 

yielded production results similar to both Ethylene gas and calcium carbide 

options, though slightly (3-4 weeks) delayed. In addition to operation size and 

location concerns, the CC discussed that the subject of un-natural pineapple 
Updated June 17, 2010

flower induction, facilitated using synthetic-sourced (petroleum) Ethylene gas, 

is inconsistent in multiple ways with overall organic standards.

Public comment has come regarding production primarily in Costa Rica, 

however the export from a particular country, having created an export market 

based upon rules created recently on definition of organic pineapples in the 

US, does not mean that adequate information worldwide has been compiled. 

Furthermore, farmers are not the ones doing the work on all Costa Rican areas 

of production, which includes notable amounts of hired and non-Costa Rican 

labor in production. If they are farmers, they function as contract-farmers and 

only are producing organic pineapples under the control of a broader market 

demand controlled by a large exporting company, and not by local or regional 

market demand which would allow for the farmer to function independently.

Small-scale independent farm production of organic pineapples in Hawaii 

direct-market all production with no need for consistent ripening due to 

consumer desire to have pineapples as commonly as possible.

Large scale Hawaii production of organic pineapples seeks to be able to 

harvest and ship product for export in volume.

Organic standards cannot be achieved exclusively based upon the needs of 

large- scale operations, but rather must balance overall production with other 

impacts. Do we all want pineapples year-round regardless of how to get them, 

to compete with chemical approaches, or do we need to also look at the 

environmental and health and overall costs, and balance with the benefits?

Continued use of a synthetic, petroleum-derived plant regulator for the 

purposes of achieving organic production outside of natural cycles is not 

required for production, and is not in conjunction with foundational organic 

principles. Alternatives must be considered, or seasonal balance of availability 

must be included in organic marketing approaches.

Based upon the information and experience available, the CC recommended 

against the continued listing of Ethylene gas (CC vote was 5 opposed to re-list 

with 2 absent members). Based on public input and the lack of conclusive 

alternative functionality and availability for pineapple flower induction, the 

NOSB voted in favor of re-listing.

NOSB Committee Vote:

Moved: John Foster Second: Tina Ellor

Yes: 10 No: 4 Abstain: 0 Absent: 0 Recusal: 0
National Organic Standards Board 

Crops Committee 

2012 Sunset Proposed Recommendation 

Ethylene Gas 

April 29, 2011 

List: §205.601 Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic crop production. 

(k) As plant growth regulators. Ethylene gas—for regulation of pineapple flowering. 

Committee Summary 

The Crops Committee (CC) made a recommendation on this material on March 2, 2011. Prior 

to that they had requested and received a new Supplemental Information Report on the use of 

Ethylene gas as a plant growth regulator, for the induction of pineapple flowering. Reference 

was made to the current scales of production in the US (which are in Hawaii and California) 

and do not amount to a large ratio of global production. The CC found the report to be 

sufficient, while seeking information regarding large-scale pineapple operations outside of US 

borders (specific reference was made to Eco-LOGICA in Costa Rica for more information). The 

scale of operation and the impacts on others was discussed in order to ensure that varied 

sizes operations were referenced. Alternatives and concerns with organic principle 

compatibility were considered with information available at that time. 

On April 28, 2011, the CC met to consider new public comment and determined that the utility 

of alternatives may not be sufficient for the needs of the industry as a whole and reconsidered 

their prior recommendation. 

Committee Recommendations 

The motion was to continue the listing of ethylene gas as a plant growth regulator, for the 

induction of pineapple flowering. The CC recommends the continued listing of ethylene gas, 

without change to the annotation. 

Committee Vote 

Motion: To relist Ethylene gas—for regulation of pineapple flowering, on § 205.601(k) 

Motion: Tina Ellor Second: Nick Maravell 

Yes: 4 No: 3 Absent: 0 Abstain: 0 Recuse: 0