USDA National Organic 

Program

National Organic Standards Board

October 26, 2015

Miles V. McEvoy, Deputy Administrator

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

National Organic Program
Overview

• Agricultural Marketing Service’s National Organic 

Program Strategic Plan

• Protecting Organic Integrity

• National Organic Standards Board

• Organic Integrity Database

• Sound and Sensible Certification
Accomplishments

• Age of enforcement

• Pasture rule

• Residue testing rule

• NOP Handbook

• Increased accreditation audit consistency

• Implemented improvements based on 4 Office of 

Inspector General audits

USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service | National Organic 

Program

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Accomplishments

• International equivalency arrangements

• Improvements to the Appeals process

• USDA Organic Literacy Initiative

• USDA Organic Insider

• List of certified organic operations

• Sound and Sensible Certification

USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service | National Organic 

Program

4
Clear 

Standards

Market Access: 

Local, Regional, 

International

Protect 

Organic 

Integrity

Build Technology that 

Advances Organic 

Integrity

AMS-NOP Strategic Plan 2015-18

Organizational 

Development

5
Protecting Organic 

Integrity
10 Points of Organic Integrity

1. Clear/enforceable 

standards

2. Communication

3. Transparency

4. Certification

5. Complaints

6. Penalties

7. Market surveillance

8. Unannounced 

inspections

9. Periodic residue 

testing

10. Continual 

improvement

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How to File A Complaint

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Complaint Review Process

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Compliance & Enforcement

FY 2015 Administrative Proceedings

Proceeding #1

Type: Formal administrative complaint proceeding

Operation: Ernest D. Miller, d/b/a Stoney-M Farm

Concern: Applied prohibited substance during organic processes

Disposition: Suspended land from organic certification for 3 years

Proceeding # 2

Type: Consent decision and order

Operation: Organic Food Chain

Concern: Willful violation of USDA organic regulations

Disposition: Suspended accreditation for 2 years

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Compliance & Enforcement:

Success Stories

Story #1: Who Needs to Be Certified

Background:

• “Who Needs to Be Certified” instruction published

• Number of complaints filed regarding uncertified 

auction barns handling

Success:

• NOP initiated 11 complaint investigations

• Resulted in 6 certified and 11 compliant operations

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Compliance & Enforcement:

Success Stories

Story #2: Uncovering Serious Violations

Background:

• Uncertified operation sells products as organic and offers 

organic certification consulting services

• In FY 2013, NOP initiates investigation

• State of Alabama identifies operation’s criminal activity

Success:

• State AG partners with NOP to investigate operation for 

securities fraud

• In FY 2015, owner accepts plea agreement; receives 15-year 

prison term and fines

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Compliance & Enforcement

FY 2015 Successes

• Compliance & Enforcement: Overall Summary

– Incoming Complaints: 549

– Completed Complaints: 390

• Summary of Initial Actions Taken

– Cease & Desist Orders: 36

– Notices of Warning: 121

• Civil Penalties Issued via Settlement Agreements

– Total Number: 8

– Total Amount: $1,872,875

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National Organic

Standards Board
National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)

The NOSB is a Federal Advisory Committee which 

assists and advises USDA. It has 

– a charter with established mission and duties

– a Designated Federal Official (DFO) 

– Subcommittees and Chair

– Opportunity for public participation

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NOSB Appointments

• Fifteen members appointed by the Secretary of 

Agriculture to five-year terms

• Six new appointments for January 2016

• Two who own or operate organic farms

• Two public interest or consumer interest 

representatives

• One certifier

• One with expertise in environmental protection and 

resource conservation – Nominations for this 

position are open through October 29

USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service | National Organic 

Program

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NOSB Recommendations 1994-2014

• Practice Standards

– 174 recommendations

– Around 150 have been addressed

– Outstanding recommendations include 

• Aquaculture (3) 

• Pet food

• Apiculture

• Mushrooms

• Animal Welfare (multiple)

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service | National Organic Program 17
NOSB Recommendations 1994-2014

• National List

– 101 recommendations

– 89 addressed

– Outstanding recommendations are recent and in 

process 

• Sunset

– 129 reviews completed (previous sunset reviews 

bundled substances into one review 

recommendation)

– Outstanding sodium nitrate

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service | National Organic Program 18
NOSB Recommendations on Hydroponics

• 1995: NOSB recommended that “Hydroponic production in 

soilless media to be labeled organically produced shall be 

allowed if all provisions of the OFPA have been met.”

• 2004: NOSB reiterated its recommendation that “Hydroponic 

production in soilless media to be labeled organically produced 

shall be allowed if all provisions of the OFPA have been met.”

• 2005: NOP confirmed that hydroponic operations may be 

certified organic if produced in compliance with the regulations.

• In NOSB 2010 greenhouse recommendation, the NOSB 

recommended that USDA shouldn’t allow organic crops to be 

produced using hydroponic methods.

USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service | National Organic 

Program

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NOSB Task Force

AMS established a hydroponic-aquaponic task force to 

report on the compatibility of these systems with the 

USDA organic regulations and the Organic Foods 

Production Act (OFPA).

The task force will provide a report to the NOSB on

• (i) current hydroponic and aquaponic production 

methods used in organic production, and 

• (ii) whether these practices align with OFPA and the 

USDA organic regulations. 

USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service | National Organic 

Program

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Hydroponics/Aquaponics Task Force

NOSB liaisons –

• Jean Richardson and 

• Zea Sonnebend

• Will Allen, Milwaukee, Wis.; 

• Colin Archipley, Esondido, Calif.; 

• John Biernbaum, Ph.D., East 

Lansing, Mich.; 

• Angela Caporelli, Frankfort, Ky.; 

• Dave Chapman, East Thetford, 

Vt.; 

• Marianne Cufone J.D., New 

Orleans, La.; 

• Amy Lamendella, Santa Cruz, 

Calif.; 

• Richard Shultz, Lethbridge, AB, 

Canada; 

• Eric Sideman, PhD., Strafford, 

N.H.; 

• Pierre Sleiman, Encinitas, Calif.; 

• Stacy Tollefson, Ph.D., Tucson, 

Ariz.; 

• Jose Edgardo Torres, Sahuarita, 

Ariz.; 

• Jessica Vaughan, Freedom, Calif.; 

• Jeffry Evard, Plainfield, Ind.; 

• Sam Welsch, Lincoln, Neb.; 

• Theresa Lam, East Brunswick, N.J. 

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service | National Organic Program 21
Organic Integrity 

Database
Vision: The Organic INTEGRITY Database 

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Service | National Organic 

Program

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The NOP is responsible for the integrity of the 

USDA organic seal. 

The Organic INTEGRITY Database is a modernized 

certified organic operations database that will:

• Contain up-to-date and accurate information, 

deterring fraud

• Increase supply chain transparency 

• Promote market visibility for organic operations 
The Process

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Service | National Organic 

Program

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Accredited certifying agents have been highly 

involved and continue to play a critical role in the 

INTEGRITY development process

• A full quarter of our certifiers are participating in 

the user group

• Over 31,000 operations are listed in the database 

(certified, suspended, revoked, surrendered)

• Over 175,000 products are listed in the 2014 data 

provided by certifiers 
Release 1 Capabilities

Certifier User 

Account 

Management

New Data Fields Scope/Product 

Taxonomy

Data Upload & 

Download

(Excel, User 

Interface)

User Interface 

and Web Based 

Forms

Public Search and 

Reports

USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service | National Organic 

Program

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New Data Submission Template

USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service | National Organic 

Program

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New Flexible Taxonomy 

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Service | National Organic 

Program

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Scope Category 

Name

Item 

Name

Text Field: 

Other Item

Gooseberry

Rainbow 

Swiss 

Chard

Text 

Field: 

Variety

Green Leaf 

Romaine

Item ID:

Each 

category 

and item 

has a 

number 

ID to 

facilitate 

mapping

Crops

Fruit –

Berries 

Leaf 

Vegetables 

Cranberries

Other

Lettuce

Other
Public Interfaces (Basic Search)

USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service | National Organic 

Program

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Release 2 and Beyond

Planned Development Over the Next Year

• Advanced Search Enhancements

• Automated Connections (web services)

• Certifier Profile

• Operation History

• Adverse Action Document Management

• Operation Certificate Module

USDA Agricultural Marketing 

Service | National Organic 

Program

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Sound and Sensible
Sound and Sensible 

Certification Projects

• In 2014, AMS funded 14 projects that support 

accessible, attainable, and affordable organic 

certification more. 

• The projects helped >2,000 farm and businesses learn 

about the path to organic certification. 

• Educational resources – videos, tip sheets, and 

workshop materials – will reach thousands of new 

farms and businesses.

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About the Projects Awarded 

• Awards: 14 projects were 

awarded to 13 organizations

• Geographic coverage of projects: Southeast/Gulf States; 

New England; Northwest; California; Mid-Atlantic

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Let’s Watch! 

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• NOFA-VT created 5 videos communicating the 

organic value proposition as part of its Sound and 

Sensible project with AMS. Here’s a preview! 
Thank You

Organic Integrity from

Farm to Table, 

Consumers Trust the

Organic Label

www.ams.usda.gov/nop