Note: Subcommittee notes may include preliminary discussions regarding substances considered for addition to or removal from the National List. 

They do not represent official NOP policy or regulations. Please see the NOP website for official NOP policy, regulations, and status of substances 

used in organic production and handling. 

National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)

Policy Development Subcommittee Meeting Notes 

Tuesday, January 10, 2017 2:00 pm ET 

Attendees: Dan Seitz (DS), Chair; Lisa de Lima (LD), Vice Chair; Jean Richardson (JR); Tom Chapman (TC); 

Jesse Buie (JB)

Absent: Tracy Favre (TF); Ashley Swaffar (AS)

Staff: Michelle Arsenault (MA); Jessica Walden (JW)

Work agenda

Project Contact Status Vote Target 

Meeting

Review of Policy & Procedure 

Manual (PPM) 

DS Revisions/Updates as needed Ongoing

Update to member guide MA/TC Update as needed NA NA

Agenda

• Approve notes of December 13, 2016

• PPM updates

• Conflicts of interest (COI) guidance - Representative vs SGE: question whether government

compensation needs to specified

• Ancillary Substances review process

• Recognizing members of the public during NOSB meetings for limited purposes

• Discuss whether we should attempt to further group like substances for purposes of the sunset 

review

• Misc. issues

• Adjourn

Discussion

• Notes of December 13, 2016 were approved with a correction to the language in the first bullet about 

affiliations.

• PPM updates

• COI guidance - Representative vs Special Government Employees (SGE). The group discussed a 

possible update to the NOSB memo on conflicts of interest to clarify the information about 

employer compensation. The policy pertains to SGEs, and not representatives, which NOSB 

members are classified as. TC will write a statement requesting the need for this change and 

forward it to the PDS Chair and the NOP.

• Ancillary Substances review process. The NOP asked the NOSB to develop a review process for 

ancillary substances, and as such the NOSB has an informal process in place, but it has not been 

added to the PPM. LD will write the language and the PDS will add a brief paragraph to the PPM 

indicating how the review process will proceed. 

• Recognizing members of the public during NOSB meetings for limited purposes. Members 

discussed the option to call on members of the audience at the in-person meetings when factual 
or historical information was needed. The group decided that it happens so rarely that it does not 

need to be codified in the PPM. Instead they will follow current procedures. 

• Sunset materials groupings. The PDS discussed whether or not to regroup some of the similar

materials on the sunset list to facilitate efficient review. The consensus was that since the NOSB 

has not yet completed one full cycle of reviews, the schedule would remain as is, until a later 

date, at which time they will reassess. 

• Misc. issues. The PDS cancelled the Feb 14 call. 

• The meeting was adjourned

Previous PDS Notes

Future Call Schedule (2nd Tuesday 2:00 ET)

December 13, 2016

January 10, 2017

COI guidance - Representative vs SGE.

Ancillary Substances review process.

February 14, 2017- cancelled 

March 14, 2017

April 11, 2017

May 9, 2017

June 13, 2017

July 11, 2017

August 8, 2017

September 12, 2017

October 10, 2017

November 14, 2017

December 12, 2017

January 9, 2018

Spring 2017 Milestones 2017 Target date

New NOSB member orientation Feb 8, 2017

NOP - Complete Spring 2017 NOSB meeting tentative agenda Feb 10, 2017

NOSB - Spring 2017 proposals due to NOP Feb 17, 2017

NOP - Post proposals, Publish FRN, Open public comment Mar 1, 2017

Discuss work agendas on ES call Mar 10, 2017 

Public comment closes Mar 30, 2017

NOP - Send compiled public comments to NOSB Apr 5, 2017

Work agendas finalized on ES call (last call before fall meeting) Apr 7, 2017
Public comment webinar Apr 13, 2017

Spring 2017 NOSB meeting – Denver, CO Apr 19-21, 2017 (W-F)
Note: Subcommittee notes may include preliminary discussions regarding substances considered for addition to or removal from the National List. 

They do not represent official NOP policy or regulations. Please see the NOP website for official NOP policy, regulations, and status of substances 

used in organic production and handling. 

National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)

Policy Development Subcommittee Meeting Notes 

Tuesday, June 13, 2017 1:00 pm ET 

Attendees: Dan Seitz (DS), Chair; Lisa de Lima (LD), Vice Chair; Jesse Buie (JB); Tom Chapman (TC); Ashley 

Swaffar (AS)

Absent: none

Staff: Michelle Arsenault (MA)

Work agenda

Project Contact Status Vote Target 

Meeting

Review of Policy & Procedure 

Manual (PPM) 

DS Revisions/Updates as needed Ongoing

Update to member guide MA/TC Update as needed NA NA

Agenda

• Approve notes of January 10, 2016

• Update on previously raised issues

o Ancillary substances

o Conflict of Interest

o NOSB in-person comment process.

• Adjourn

Discussion

• Notes of January 10, 2017approved with no changes.

• Update on previously raised issues

o Ancillary substances. The PDS discussed the addition of the ancillary review procedures to the 

Policy and Procedures Manual. The Handling Chair summarized the history of this project, 

which was initiated by the NOP in ~2015. The NOSB made a recommendation in 2016 for 

reviewing ancillary substances, and has asked for further guidance from NOP. The Handling 

Subcommittee is currently reviewing ancillary substances in cellulose and is having some 

difficulties, based on the current guidance. The lead noted that all ancillaries are allowed as 

long as they are included in the chart that the NOSB put forth, but the chart isn’t

comprehensive, and there are questions regarding “functional classes”. The PDS chose to 

place the project on hold until it can discuss it further with the NOP.

o Conflict of Interest (COI). The group discussed language that appears in the NOP COI memo 

regarding employer compensation while serving on an advisory board. This language applies 

only to Special Government Employees, and not Representatives, which is what NOSB 

members are classified as. The PDS discussed several options for clarifying this, including 

adding language to the PPM, but instead chose to leave it as is. 

o NOSB in-person comment process. The group discussed the comment process and possible 

ways in which the NOSB could improve efficiency. The members agreed that while there may 

be ways to improve the efficiency of the process, the current process also has benefits and 

any changes in the process might have unintended adverse consequences; for that reason, 
the group did not recommend any changes at this time. The NOSB members will be asked to 

consider their comment experience at the upcoming fall meeting, and provide feedback. 

• The PDS would like to meet with NOP to further discuss the ancillary substance review process and 

how to move forward. MA will schedule a meeting. 

• The meeting was adjourned

Previous PDS Notes

Future Call Schedule (2nd Tuesday 2:00 ET)

February 14, 2017- cancelled

March 14, 2017 - cancelled

April 11, 2017 - cancelled

May 9, 2017 - cancelled

June 13, 2017

July 11, 2017

August 8, 2017

September 12, 2017

October 10, 2017

November 14, 2017

December 12, 2017

January 9, 2018

Fall 2017 Milestones Target dates (tentative)

NOP - Publish FRN, Open public comment ~Apr 27, 2017, May 30, 2017

NOSB Request for TRs for 2020 sunset materials July 18, 2017

NOP - Complete Fall 2017 NOSB meeting tentative agenda Aug 11, 2017

NOSB - Fall 2017 proposals due to NOP Aug 29, 2017

NOP - Post proposals On or before Sep 12, 2017

Public comment closes Oct 11, 2017

Discuss/finalize work agendas on ES call Oct 13, 2017

NOP - Send compiled public comments to NOSB Oct 16, 2017

Two Public comment webinars Oct 24, and if needed 26, 2017

Fall 2017 NOSB meeting - Jacksonville, FL Oct 31- Nov 2, 2017
Note: Subcommittee notes may include preliminary discussions regarding substances considered for addition to or removal from the National List. 

They do not represent official NOP policy or regulations. Please see the NOP website for official NOP policy, regulations, and status of substances 

used in organic production and handling. 

National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)

Policy Development Subcommittee Meeting Notes 

Tuesday, July 11, 2017 1:00 pm ET 

Attendees: Dan Seitz (DS), Chair; Lisa de Lima (LD), Vice Chair; Jesse Buie (JB); Tom Chapman (TC); Ashley 

Swaffar (AS)

Absent: none

Staff: Michelle Arsenault (MA); Miles McEvoy (MM); Lisa Brines (LB)

Work agenda

Project Contact Status Vote Target 

Meeting

Review of Policy & Procedure 

Manual (PPM) 

DS Revisions/Updates as needed Ongoing

Update to member guide MA/TC Update as needed NA NA

Agenda

• Approve notes of June 13, 2017

• Adjourn

Discussion

• Notes of June 13, 2017 approved with no changes.

• Ancillary substance review. It was suggested that the PDS add a section to the PPM regarding the 

process for reviewing ancillary substances that reflects an April 2016 NOSB recommendation. The

NOP has not yet implemented this recommendation. The group discussed the review process set 

forth in the NOSB recommendation, and several members noted difficulties with identification of

functional classes and lack of clarity about how this would be interpreted or implemented by 

certifiers. Currently, the Handling Subcommittee is reviewing ancillary substances in cellulose and is 

seeking guidance from the NOP about how to move forward. There was general agreement that 

further action is needed by the NOP to better define/clarify the ancillary review process before the 

process can be outlined in the PPM; however, in the meantime the NOSB can gather information on 

ancillary substances that may be useful in developing a workable review process. Among other things,

the NOSB will continue to ask for public feedback during sunset reviews and reviews of petitioned 

materials, and will maintain a list of ancillary substances, but will not proceed with any reviews or 

recommendations for ancillary substances until the program provides more guidance. The PDS will 

consider adding a sentence to the PPM about how the NOSB is currently handling ancillary substance 

review. 

• Other PPM updates. The PDS will discuss some other minor changes to the PPM, including adding a 

task to the NOSB Secretary duties to monitor incoming public comment, prior to the comment 

deadline. 

• The meeting was adjourned

Previous PDS Notes
Future Call Schedule (2nd Tuesday 2:00 ET)

June 13, 2017

July 11, 2017

August 8, 2017

September 12, 2017

October 10, 2017

November 14, 2017

December 12, 2017

January 9, 2018

Fall 2017 Milestones Target dates (tentative)

NOP - Publish FRN, Open public comment May 30, 2017

NOSB Request for TRs for 2020 sunset materials July 19, 2017

NOSB public teleconference August 14, 2017 

NOP - Draft Fall 2017 NOSB meeting tentative agenda Aug 11, 2017

NOSB - Fall 2017 proposals due to NOP Aug 29, 2017

NOP - Post proposals On or before Sep 12, 2017

Public comment closes Oct 11, 2017

Discuss/finalize work agendas on ES call Oct 13, 2017

NOP - Send compiled public comments to NOSB Oct 16, 2017

Two Public comment webinars Oct 24, and if needed 26, 2017

Fall 2017 NOSB meeting - Jacksonville, FL Oct 31- Nov 2, 2017