USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

National Organic Standards Board | Spring 2012 Meeting Agenda, Revised 5/15/2012

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National Organic Standards Board Meeting

Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 22-25, 2012

AGENDA

Schedule at a Glance

Tuesday, May 22 Wednesday, May 23 Thursday, May 24 Friday, May 25

AM - Call to Order and 

 Secretary’s Report 

- NOP Update 

- Open Public Comment 

- Materials Subcommittee

- Crops Subcommittee

- Policy Development 

 Subcommittee

- Handling 

 Subcommittee

- Deferred Items

- Final Votes

- Subcommittee Work

 Plans

- Other Business and 

 Closing Remarks

PM - Compliance, Accreditation 

 & Certification 

 Subcommittee 

- GMO ad-hoc Subcommittee

- Livestock Subcommittee - Handling 

 Subcommittee

Meeting Format

 USDA National Organic Program (NOP) National List Manager presents overview of sunset 

substances, petitioned substances and Technical Reports in consistent format. NOSB members

present Subcommittee proposals on petitioned substances and sunset substances.

 Public comments are segmented to correspond with each Subcommittee.

 The agenda has been revised to account for the number of oral public comments that will be 

made for each Subcommittee.

 Each Subcommittee’s proposals are discussed and voted on before moving to the next 

Subcommittee.

 Board votes on Subcommittee proposals can be deferred to Friday for final vote if more 

deliberation is needed.

 Final recommendations are completed during the meeting so that they can be posted on the 

NOP website immediately following the meeting. 

Public Comments

 All persons wishing to comment at NOSB meetings during public comment periods must sign up 

in advance; instructions are available at www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings

 Persons must give their names and affiliations for the record at the beginning of their public 

comment.

 Each person is provided a 3 minute comment period. 

 Each person may sign up for only one comment period. 
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

National Organic Standards Board | Spring 2012 Meeting Agenda, Revised 5/15/2012

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

8:00 AM Call to Order

Barry Flamm, Chairperson

 Announcements

 Introductions

 NOSB Mission

8:15 AM Secretary’s Report

Wendy Fulwider, Secretary

 Acceptance of December 2011 Meeting Transcripts and Voting Results 

as Official Record

8:30 AM National Organic Program Update

Miles McEvoy, Deputy Administrator

National Organic Program

10:00 AM BREAK

10:15 AM Open Public Comment

 Public comments that are not specific to a particular Subcommittee 

 12:30 PM LUNCH

 

 1:30 PM

Compliance, Accreditation and Certification Subcommittee 

Joe Dickson, Chairperson

- Present Subcommittee proposals and summarize written comments

Topics: 

- Discussion paper - Sanitizers and “100% organic” products

- Proposal - Material Review Organizations review criteria

 

 2:00 PM

 Public comments related to CAC Subcommittee 

 2:30 PM  Subcommittee modifies proposals as needed 

 Board votes

3:15 PM BREAK
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

National Organic Standards Board | Spring 2012 Meeting Agenda, Revised 5/15/2012

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3:30 PM GMO ad-hoc Subcommittee

Zea Sonnabend, Chairperson

 Present Subcommittee proposals and summarize written comments 

 NOP presentation on NOP GMO policy

Topics: 

 Proposal - Letter to Secretary Vilsack

4:10 PM  Public comments related to GMO Subcommittee proposals 

4:45 PM  Subcommittee modifies proposals as needed 

 Board votes

5:30 PM RECESS

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

8:00 AM National Organic Program- Materials Classification Overview

 Dr. Lisa M. Brines, NOP National List Manager

8:30 AM Materials Subcommittee 

Jennifer Taylor, Chairperson

 Present Subcommittee proposals and summarize written comments 

Topics:

 Aquaculture petition update – for use of vitamins (no document)

 Proposal - Research Priorities Framework

 Discussion paper – Extractants and solvents

 Discussion paper – Significant residues and classification of materials

9:30 AM  Public comments related to Materials Subcommittee proposals 

10:15 AM BREAK

10:30 AM  Subcommittee modifies proposals as needed 

 Board votes

11:00 AM Crops Subcommittee 

Jay Feldman, Chairperson 

 Present Subcommittee proposals and summarize written comments 

 Report from Inerts working group
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

National Organic Standards Board | Spring 2012 Meeting Agenda, Revised 5/15/2012

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Crops Subcommittee Topics:

Sunset 2013 Recommendations on § 205.601

 EPA list 3 (Inerts)

11:20 AM  Public comments related to Crops Subcommittee proposals

11:50 AM  Subcommittee modifies proposals as needed 

 Board votes

12:30 PM LUNCH

1:30 PM Livestock Subcommittee 

Wendy Fulwider, Chairperson 

 Present Subcommittee proposals and summarize written comments 

Topics:

 Proposal - GMO vaccines

 Discussion paper - Species specific guidance

 Discussion paper - Dairy auditor score sheet

 Discussion paper - Dairy score card

 Discussion paper - Guidance for Assessing Welfare: Bison

 Discussion paper - Guidance for Assessing Welfare: Poultry

 Discussion paper - Guidance for Assessing Welfare: Sheep

 Discussion paper - Outcome score tally sheet for Animal Welfare

2:30 PM  Public comments related to Livestock Subcommittee proposals 

3:30 PM BREAK

3:45 PM  Public comments related to Livestock Subcommittee proposals

4:45 PM Livestock Subcommittee continued

 Subcommittee modifies proposals as needed

 Board votes

5:30PM RECESS

Thursday, May 24, 2012

8:00 AM Policy Development Subcommittee

Colehour Bondera, Chairperson

 Present Subcommittee proposals and summarize written comments 
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

National Organic Standards Board | Spring 2012 Meeting Agenda, Revised 5/15/2012

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Policy Development Subcommittee Topics:

 Proposal - Conflict of Interest

 Proposal - Public Comment Procedures

 Proposal – Public Communications

8:45 AM  Public comments related to Policy Subcommittee proposals 

9:15 AM  Subcommittee modifies proposals as needed 

 Board votes

10:00 AM BREAK

10:15 AM Handling Subcommittee

John Foster, Chairperson

 Present Subcommittee proposals and summarize written comments

 Update on ancillary and other ingredients

Topics:

Petitioned Materials Proposals

 Choline

 Curry leaf

 Gibberellic acid

 Inositol

 Citrus hystrix

Sunset 2013 Proposals on § 205.605(a)

 Agar-agar

 Calcium sulfate

 Carrageenan

 Glucono delta-lactone

Sunset 2013 Proposals on § 205.605(b)

 Cellulose

12:00 PM LUNCH 

1:00 PM Handling Subcommittee, continued 

 Public comments related to Handling Subcommittee proposals 

3:00 PM BREAK

3:15 PM  Subcommittee modifies proposals as needed 

 Board votes 

5:00 PM RECESS
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

National Organic Standards Board | Spring 2012 Meeting Agenda, Revised 5/15/2012

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Friday, May 25, 2012

8:00 AM

Deferred Proposals

Final Votes

10:00 AM BREAK

10:15 AM Deferred Proposals/Final Votes, continued

11:00 AM Subcommittee Workplans

11:30 AM Other Business and Closing Remarks

12:00 PM ADJOURN