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Keeping Organic Strong: Changes in organic regulations and farming practicesNational Organic Standards BoardResults from the Fall 2012 meeting of the National Organic Standards Board View Results by Subcommittee: For Background Information, refer to Beyond Pesticides' summary of the issues.
In October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) met to decide on a range of issues concerning allowable materials and practices in certified organic farming. The recommendations adopted by the Board will be sent on to USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) for incorporation into federal regulations. A transcript of the entire four-day meeting can be read here. Additionally, NOP has provided a short summary of the meeting. On this page, you will find summaries of the significant actions taken by the Board at the meeting along with supporting documentation. Each issue is discussed separately, incorporating Beyond Pesticides' positions on what the outcomes signify for the future of the organic movement. In an effort to provide the public with the maximum amount of transparency, we have also included the votes cast by individual members of the Board. Each member's name is hyperlinked to NOP's summary of their background experience in organic production. The next NOSB meeting will be held in Portland, Oregon on April 8-12, 2013. More information about this meeting will be posted as it becomes available, but we expect Spring '13 to be an exciting meeting, so stay tuned! If you'd like further information about previous NOSB meetings go to our NOSB Archives page. Issues Discussed by the Board
Crops Subcommittee: (back to top) Ferric PhosphateCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation Current NOP Status: Allowed in Organic Production Beyond
Pesticides supported the petition to prohibit ferric phosphate because in
order to be effective, it has to be combined with EDTA, a compound
that has been shown to harm earthworms and beneficial soil organisms. The
Board decided that EDTA is an "inert" ingredient, which will be
considered in the process of reviewing all "inerts" in organic
production.
Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor
Nick Maravell, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam, Wendy Fulwider, Harold Austin, Tracy Favre, Carmela Beck, John Foster, Joe Dickson, Jean Richardson, Calvin Walker For more information, view Beyond Pesticides' background summary on the issue. Propylene Glycol MonolaurateCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation Current NOP Status: Prohibited in Organic Production Beyond Pesticides supports this decision by the Board. After voting unanimously to affirm that PGML is a synthetic substance, the NOSB rejected the petition to add PGML to the National List of allowed substances in organic production. PGML was rejected because it is a synthetic product, effective alternatives are available, and the environmental impacts as a result of its use are not consistent with organic production systems. Those in the minority vote asserted that the effectiveness of alternatives were too sporadic. However, those in the majority countered that as a tool made for use in conventional agricultural systems, PGML should not serve as an organic system tool.
Harold Austin, Carmela Beck, John Foster, Joe Dickson, Wendy Fulwider
Nick Maravell, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam, Tracy Favre, Jean Richardson, Calvin Walker, Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue. Oxidized LigniteCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation Current NOP Status: Hydrogen Peroxide Extracted Oxidized Lignite Prohibited in Organic Production Beyond Pesticides supports the outcome of the Board’s vote. Although it the vote was 8-Yes and 7-No, the motion failed because the NOSB requires a 2/3 majority in order to pass a recommendation. Oxidized lignite can occur through natural processes in the field or through using super-heated water or ozone in a lab. However, since the manufacturing process motion that was proposed was redacted as Confidential Business Information, the motion proposed was to add Hydrogen Peroxide extraction to the annotation for humic acids already on the National List. Beyond Pesticides agreed with this context, but contended that oxidized lignite should not be added to the National List due to the availability of effective alternatives, and the human health and environmental hazards associated with its extraction. Nick Maravell, Tracy Favre, Jean Richardson, Harold Austin, Carmela Beck, John Foster, Joe Dickson, Wendy Fulwider
Calvin Walker, Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue. Biodegradable Bioplastic Mulch/ Biodegradable Biobased Mulch FilmCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation Current NOP Status: Prohibited for Use in Organic Production In the motion approving the product, the NOSB changed the name from “bioplastic mulch” to “biobased mulch film” in order to facilitate the rulemaking process. Although Beyond Pesticides originally supported the decision to add biodegradable mulch to the National List, further information revealed at the meeting regarding the ability of the product to completely degrade is concerning. Explicit and defined language within the motion regarding requirements for degradation would have been preferable, but we remain hopeful as the NOP has agreed to work with the Board during the rulemaking process. Within the motion, the Board clarified that biobased film derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or produced with nanomaterial was prohibited. We hope to see the concerns surrounding biobased mulch film addressed as a research priority for the coming year.
Nick Maravell, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam, Wendy Fulwider, Harold Austin, Tracy Favre, Carmela Beck, John Foster, Joe Dickson, Jean Richardson, Calvin Walker
Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue. RotenoneCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation Current NOP Status: Voluntarily Phased Out of Use, but Available in Other Countries Beyond Pesticides thanks the Board for clarifying this issue. Although rotenone was voluntarily cancelled by the manufacturer and is in the process of being phased out due to health risks such as Parkinson’s disease, the substance is still in use in other countries. Thus, the Board found it necessary to clarify the listing of rotenone as a prohibited nonsynthetic substance. However, the motion contains a multi-year period before the recommendation takes effects in order to research and register alternatives.
Nick Maravell, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam, Wendy Fulwider, Harold Austin, Tracy Favre, Carmela Beck, John Foster, Joe Dickson, Jean Richardson, Calvin Walker, Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor
For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue. Sulfuric AcidCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation Current NOP Status: Prohibited for Use in Organic production Beyond Pesticides agrees with the Board’s decision for this synthetic chemical. The motion requested by the petitioner was to use sulfuric acid as a stabilizing agent for digested poultry manure. A similar motion for the chemical’s use as a livestock manure was rejected by the Board in 2006. A majority on the Board agreed that manufacturing process for the substance is not in line with organic principles because of its adverse environmental and health impacts, and lack of essentiality.
John Foster, Joe Dickson, Harold Austin
Nick Maravell, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam, Wendy Fulwider, Tracy Favre, Carmela Beck, Jean Richardson, Calvin Walker, Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue. Inert IngredientsCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation Current NOP Status: Not Subject to Review Under the National List Beyond Pesticides is thrilled with the Board’s decision to require a review of so-called "inert ingredients," those ingredients in pesticide products on the National List that are not claimed to have pesticidal effects. The recommendation contains new regulatory language, a series of steps to use in preparing for inerts review, screening guidelines that the Technical Evaluation Reports (TERs) will address, a tentative list of the proposed groups, and a rough timeline for review and completion. An Inerts Working Group (IWG) consisting of representatives of the NOSB, NOP, and EPA in consultation with the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) and Washington State Dept. of Agriculture (WSDA) developed the process and will continue to fine-tune it. The review of inert ingredients will be performed by the Crops Subcommittee. The recommendation creates a four-year timeframe to evaluate inert ingredients currently in use in organic agriculture that are not exempt from pesticide registration under FIFRA section 25(b). This includes former EPA List 4b and List 3 inerts in pheromones that were identified through information supplied by the Material Review Organizations OMRI and WSDA. It also will include inert ingredients that have previously petitioned, and a call for other (inert) ingredients. This list so far is 126 individual substances. The IWG is working to categorize the substances in the "other" category into additional or existing groups. The full group listing, including the list of chemicals, will be presented at the Spring 2013 NOSB meeting. It is expected that 4-6 groups of chemicals will be evaluated every year during the four year period beginning in 2013. Although this proposal will require a large amount of work, rulemaking is expected to be completed by October 2017.
Nick Maravell, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam, Wendy Fulwider, Harold Austin, Tracy Favre, Carmela Beck, John Foster, Joe Dickson, Jean Richardson, Calvin Walker, Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor
For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue.
Livestock Subcommittee (back to top) Nonanoic AcidCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation Current NOP Status: Prohibited in Organic Production Beyond Pesticides agrees with the recommendation by the Board. The NOSB decided against approving the petition to list nonanoic acid as an insect repellant because it does not fit into any of the categories of allowable uses of synthetics. It also failed the criteria for impact on the agro-ecosystem, environment, essentiality and compatibility with organic and sustainable agriculture.
Nick Maravell, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam, Wendy Fulwider, Harold Austin, Tracy Favre, Carmela Beck, Joe Dickson, Jean Richardson, Calvin Walker, Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue. Pet Foods Amino AcidCurrent NOP Status: Prohibited in Organic Production The Board recommended to delay the decision on the petition to allow amino acids in pet foods until 2013. The NOSB chose to delay this vote in order to make sure all pertinent information is reviewed by the Board. For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue.
Handling Subcommittee: (back to top) Ascorbyl palmitateCurrent NOP Status: Prohibited as a Preservative in Organic Infant Formula Beyond Pesticides supports this decision by the Board. Ascorbic palmitate was petitioned for use as a preservative in organic infant formula. The Board determined that the substance did not meet the requirements for a synthetic in organic production. Although the material was voted down as a preservative, the Board clarified that the material is still allowed for use as vitamin C.
Wendy Fulwider, Harold Austin, Carmela Beck, John Foster
Nick Maravell, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam, Tracy Favre, Carmela Beck, Joe Dickson, Jean Richardson, Calvin Walker, Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue. Beta CaroteneCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation Current NOP Status: Prohibited as a Preservative in Organic Infant Formula Similar to the decision on ascorbic palminate, beta carotene was determined by the Board not to be essential to organic production. Although the material was voted down as a preservative, the Board clarified that the material is still allowed for use as vitamin A. Beyond Pesticides supports the NOSB's decision.
Nick Maravell, Zea Sonnabend, Robert "Mac" Stone, Barry Flam, Wendy Fulwider, Harold Austin, Tracy Favre, Carmela Beck, Joe Dickson, Jean Richardson, Calvin Walker, Jay Feldman, Colehour Bondera, Jennifer Taylor For more information, view Beyond Pesticides background summary on the issue. LuteinCommittee Proposal, Final NOSB Recommendation
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Yes votes against allowing ferric phosphate: 3 
No votes in favor of allowing ferric phosphate: 12