USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

 National Organic Standards Board | October 13, 20 and 26 – 29, 2015 Agenda rev. 10.16.2015

 i

National Organic Standards Board Meeting Agenda

Stoweflake Conference Center, Pinnacle Room Stowe, Vermont 

Schedule at a Glance: 

Tuesday 

Oct 13 & 20

Webinars

Monday 

Oct 26

Tuesday

Oct 27

Wednesday

Oct 28

Thursday

Oct 29

MORNING

- Call to Order/Intros

- Vermont Welcome

- Secretary’s Report 

- NOP Report 

- NOSB Report 

- Materials Update 

- NIFA Presentation

- Public Comments 

 Continued 

- Handling 

 Subcmmte

- Livestock Subcmmte 

AFTERNOON - Public 

 comment 

 webinars

1 – 4 pm ET

- Public Comments 

 Continued

- Crops 

 Subcommittee 

- Group Photo

- Materials Subcmmte

- Policy Dev Subcmmte

- Compliance, Accreditation 

 & Certification Subcmmte

- Handling Subcmmte

- Crops Subcmmte

- Officer Elections 

- Work Agendas 

- Plaque Presentations

- Other Business/Closing 

Remarks 

Face-to-Face Meeting Format

• The Designated Federal Officer calls the meeting to order. The NOSB Chair chairs 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, which are grouped by topic to facilitate review. 

• 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 NOTE: Agenda items may be withdrawn or votes postponed at the discretion of the Board.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 75-minute lunch break mid-day.

• Schedule is subject to change

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 www.ams.usda.gov/NOSBMeetings. There are three (3) opportunities to provide oral comments to the Board: 

Two webinars and one 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 either a 5-minute time slot during

the webinar, or a 3-minute time slot at the face-to-face meeting. Each commenter must state his/her name and 

affiliation for the record at the beginning of their comment.
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

 National Organic Standards Board | October 13, 20 and 26 – 29, 2015 Agenda rev. 10.16.2015

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TUESDAY OCTOBER 

13 & 20, 2015

1:00 PM -

4:00 PM

Public Comment Webinars

Login Information and instructions will be provided to registrants/listeners prior to the 

webinar

MONDAY OCTOBER 26, 2015

9:00 AM Call to Order, Agenda Overview

Miles McEvoy, AMS Deputy Administrator

Introductions

Dr. Jean Richardson, Chairperson 

Welcome to Vermont

Vermont Secretary of Agriculture, Chuck Ross

U.S. Senator Leahy - via video

Secretary’s Report, Acceptance of April 2015 Meeting Summary and Outcome as Official 

Record

Harold Austin, Secretary

9:45 AM National Organic Program Report

Miles McEvoy, Deputy Administrator, National Organic Program (NOP)

10:30 AM NOSB Report

Dr. Jean Richardson, NOSB Chairperson

10:45 AM National Organic Program - Materials Update/Summary of New and Outstanding Petitions

Dr. Lisa M. Brines, NOP National List Manager 

11:00 AM BREAK

11:15 AM National Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) Presentation

Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture

12:00 PM Public Comments (Continued from Oct 13 & 20 Webinars) - Remainder of day

1:00 PM -

2:15 PM

LUNCH 

 4:00 PM BREAK

6:30 PM RECESS
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

 National Organic Standards Board | October 13, 20 and 26 – 29, 2015 Agenda rev. 10.16.2015

 iii

TUESDAY OCTOBER 27, 2015

8:30 AM Public Comments

10:15 AM BREAK

10:30 AM Public Comments Continued

12:00 PM LUNCH

1:15 PM Crops Subcommittee 

Zea Sonnabend, Chairperson

Topics: 2017 Sunset Substances

2017 Sunset Preliminary Reviews: See end of agenda for complete list of materials

Proposal: Annotation Change for Micronutrients

Proposal: Annotation Changes for EPA List 4 Inerts

3:45 PM BREAK

4:00 PM Crops Subcommittee continued

Subcommittee discusses proposals as needed

Board votes if ready

5:30 PM RECESS
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

 National Organic Standards Board | October 13, 20 and 26 – 29, 2015 Agenda rev. 10.16.2015

 iv

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28, 2015

8:30 AM Handling Subcommittee

Tom Chapman, Chairperson

Topics: 2017 Sunset Substances

2017 Sunset Preliminary Reviews: See end of agenda for complete list of materials

Proposals: Reclassification of Alginic Acid

Proposals: Reclassification of Carnauba Wax 

Subcommittee discusses proposals as needed

Board votes if ready

10:30 AM BREAK

12:15 PM LUNCH

3:30 PM BREAK

6:00 PM RECESS

THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2015

8:30 AM Livestock Subcommittee 

Tracy Favre, Chairperson

Topics: 2017 Sunset Substances

2017 Sunset Preliminary Reviews: See end of agenda for complete list of materials

Discussion Document: Annotation Changes for Lidocaine and Procaine

Discussion Document: Annotation Change for Parasiticides

10:30 AM BREAK

10:45 AM Livestock Subcommittee continued

Subcommittee discusses proposals as needed

Board votes if ready

12:30 PM LUNCH

1:15 PM Materials Subcommittee

Dr. C. Reuben (Calvin) Walker, Chairperson

Topics: 

 Proposal: Research Priorities

 Proposal: Prevention Strategy Guidance for Excluded Methods

Subcommittee discusses proposals as needed

Board votes if ready
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

 National Organic Standards Board | October 13, 20 and 26 – 29, 2015 Agenda rev. 10.16.2015

 v

1:45 PM Policy Development Subcommittee

Tracy Favre, Chairperson

Topics: 

 Verbal Report: Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM) Revisions

2:00 PM Compliance, Accreditation and Certification Subcommittee

Carmela Beck, Chairperson

Topics:

 Verbal Report: Assessment of Soil Conservation Practices (No document)

2:15 PM Handling Subcommittee

Tom Chapman, Chairperson

Topics:

 Proposal: Sodium Lactate and Potassium Lactate - petitioned

Proposal: Flavors - petitioned

 Proposal: Ancillary Substances for Microorganisms (Including Dairy Cultures)

 Proposal: Ancillary Substances for Pectin

 Proposal: Ancillary Substances for Yeast

Subcommittee discusses proposals as needed

Board votes if ready

 3:30 PM BREAK

3:45 PM Crops Subcommittee 

Zea Sonnabend, Chairperson

Topics:

Proposal: Laminarin - petitioned

Proposal: Lignin Sulfonate - petitioned

Proposal: Sulfuric Acid - petitioned

Proposal: Seaweed extracts (aquatic plants extracts) - petitioned

Subcommittee discusses proposals as needed

Board votes if ready

4:45 PM NOSB Officer Elections

5:00 PM Subcommittee Work Agendas

5:15 PM Presentation of Plaques for Outgoing Members

5:45 PM Other Business and Closing Remarks

6:00 PM ADJOURN
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

 National Organic Standards Board | October 13, 20 and 26 – 29, 2015 Agenda rev. 10.16.2015

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2017 Sunset Materials

Handling 2017 Sunset Materials

§205.605(a) Nonsynthetics allowed 

Acid, Alginic

Acid, Citric

Acid, Lactic

Attapulgite

Bentonite

Calcium carbonate

Calcium chloride

Dairy cultures

Diatomaceous earth

Enzymes

Flavors

Kaolin

Magnesium sulfate

Nitrogen

Oxygen

Perlite

Potassium chloride

Potassium iodide

Sodium bicarbonate

Sodium carbonate

Waxes: Carnauba 

Waxes: Wood rosin

Yeast

§205.605(b) Synthetics allowed

Acidified sodium chlorite

Alginates

Ammonium bicarbonate

Ammonium carbonate

Ascorbic acid

Calcium citrate

Calcium hydroxide

Calcium phosphates: monobasic, dibasic, tribasic

Carbon dioxide

Chlorine Materials (Calcium hypochlorite, Chlorine 

dioxide, Sodium hypochlorite)

Ethylene

Ferrous sulfate

Glycerides: mono and di

Glycerin

Hydrogen peroxide

Magnesium carbonate

Magnesium chloride

Magnesium stearate

Nutrient vitamins and minerals

Ozone

Phosphoric acid

Potassium acid tartrate

Potassium carbonate

Potassium citrate

Potassium phosphate

Sodium citrate

Sodium hydroxide

Sodium phosphates

Sulfur dioxide

Tocopherols

Xanthan gum

§205.606 (PDF) Nonorganically produced agricultural 

products allowed as ingredients in or on processed 

products labeled as “organic.”

Casings

Celery powder

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.)

Colors: Various

Dillweed oil

Fish oil

Fructooligosaccharides

Galangal, frozen

Gelatin

Gums: Arabic, Carob bean, Guar, Locust bean

Inulin-oligofructose enriched

Kelp

Konjac flour

Lecithin - de-oiled

Lemongrass-frozen

Orange pulp, dried

Orange Shellac - unbleached

Pectin (non-amidated forms only)

Peppers (Chipotle chile)

Seaweed, Pacific kombu

Starches, Cornstarch (native), Sweet potato 

Turkish bay leaves

Wakame seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida)

Whey protein concentrate
USDA-AMS | National Organic Program

 National Organic Standards Board | Spring 2015 DRAFT Meeting Agenda 

 ii

Crops 2017 Sunset Materials

§205.601 Synthetic substances allowed for use in 

organic crop production

Alcohol (Ethanol, Isopropanol)

Chlorine Materials (Calcium hypochlorite, Chlorine 

dioxide, Sodium hypochlorite)

Hydrogen peroxide

Soap-based algicide/demossers

Herbicides, soap-based

Newspaper or other recycled paper

Plastic mulch and covers 

Soaps, ammonium

Ammonium carbonate

Boric acid

Elemental sulfur

Lime sulfur

Oils, horticultural

Soaps, insecticidal

Sticky traps/barriers

Sucrose octanoate esters

Pheromones

Vitamin D3

Copper sulfate

Coppers, fixed

Hydrated lime

Potassium bicarbonate

Aquatic plant extracts

Humic acids

Lignin sulfonate

Magnesium sulfate

Micronutrients (Soluble boron products, Sulfates, 

carbonates, oxides, or silicates of zinc, copper, iron, 

manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and cobalt)

Liquid fish products

Vitamin B1, C, E

Ethylene

Sodium silicate

EPA List 4 - Inerts of Minimal Concern

Microcrystalline cheesewax

§205.602 Prohibited nonsynthetic substances 

Ash from manure burning

Arsenic

Lead salts

Potassium chloride

Sodium fluoaluminate

Strychnine

Tobacco dust (nicotine sulfate)

Livestock 2017 Sunset Materials

§205.603 Synthetic substances allowed for use in 

organic livestock production

Alcohols (Ethanol, Isopropanol)

Aspirin

Atropine

Biologics, Vaccines

Butorphanol

Chlorhexidine

Chlorine Materials (Calcium hypochlorite, Chlorine 

dioxide, Sodium hypochlorite)

Electrolytes

Flunixin

Furosemide

Glucose

Glycerin

Hydrogen peroxide

Iodine

Magnesium hydroxide

Magnesium sulfate

Oxytocin

Parasiticides (Fenbendazole, Ivermectin, Moxidectin)

Peroxyacetic/Peracetic acid 

Phosphoric acid

Poloxalene

Tolazoline

Xylazine

Copper sulfate

Formic Acid

Iodine

Lidocaine

Lime, hydrated

Mineral oil

Procaine

Sucrose octanoate esters

Methionine

Trace minerals

Vitamins

EPA List 4 - Inerts of Minimal Concern

Excipients

§205.604 Prohibited nonsynthetic substances 

Strychnine