Meeting of the National
Organic Standards Board
April 26-29, 2011 - Seattle, WA
Here you will find
the results of the voting at the Spring 2011 NOSB meeting. You can read
the original recommendations from the separate committees on each of the
issues as well a summary of the implications for organic food and farmers
of each final vote. The full voting results, tallied by member are also
included.
Current NOSB Members and Voting Key
- Colehour Bondera (CB), organic farmer, Hawaii
- Steve DeMuri (SD), handler, Campbell Soup Company
- Joe Dickson (JD), retailer, Whole Foods Markets
- Tina Ellor (TE), environmentalist, Phillips Mushroom Farms
- Jay Feldman (JFe), environmentalist, Beyond Pesticides
- Barry Flamm (BF), environmentalist, consultant
- John Foster (JFo), handler, Earthbound Farms
- Wendy Fulwider (WF), organic farmer, CROPP/Organic Valley Family of
Farms
- Katrina Heinze (KH), scientist, General Mills
- Nick Maravell (NM), organic farmer, Maryland
- Tracy Miedema (TM), consumer/public interest, Earthbound Farm
- Mac Stone (MS), certifier, Kentucky
- Jennifer Taylor (JT), consumer/public interest
- C. Reuben Walker (CW), consumer/public interest, Southern Univeristy
Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Full
biographical information for each of the members can be found on the USDA
website.
Crops
Committee
Handling
Committee
Livestock
Committee
Materials
Committee
Tetracycline
Proposed Action
The Crops
Committee recommended that tetracycline be allowed to “sunset,”
or expire from being approved for use in organic production. After a
great deal of discussion (see below), the recommendation was revised
to extend the expiration date by two years.
See
details and Beyond Pesticides’ recommended actions on antibiotics.
See Beyond Pesticides’ comments submitted
to the board.
Final Board Action
Vote to extend expiration date to October 21, 2014:
Yes – 13
No – 1 (JT)
Summary
Organic growers of apples and pears can continue to use tetracycline
to control fireblight disease until October 21, 2014. At a previous
board meeting, tetracycline was given an expiration date of October
21, 2012, due to the board’s belief that the use of antibiotics
is inconsistent with organic production principles. For the spring 2011
meeting, a petition was submitted to remove this expiration date and
allow use of tetracycline to continue past 2012. Although the committee
recommended against adopting this petition, there was a great deal of
push back from organic fruit growers, who use tetracycline to fight
disease in apple and pear trees. A compromise was reached whereby the
expiration date would be pushed back two years, to October 21, 2014
and the Crops Committee would develop a transition plan including an
increased push for research on alternatives.
Streptomycin
Proposed Action
Like tetracycline, the only other antibiotic on the National List,
the Crops
Committee recommended that use of streptomycin be allowed to expire.
After significant discussion (see tetracycline), the recommendation
was revised to add an annotation to streptomycin, giving it an expiration
date of October 21, 2014 (the same as tetracycline).
See
details and Beyond Pesticides’ recommended actions on antibiotics.
See Beyond Pesticides’ comments submitted
to the board.
Final Board Action
Vote to add annotation and expiration date:
Yes – 13
No – 1 (KH)
Summary
Along with tetracycline, streptomycin can continue to be used by organic
growers of apples and pears to control fireblight disease until October
21, 2014. As with tetracycline, there was a great deal of discussion
around the committee recommendation and significant push from growers
to not discontinue use. Eventually, the compromise was reached adding
the expiration date and the transition plan (see tetracycline).
Copper Materials (Copper
Sulfate & Fixed Coppers)
Proposed Action
The Crops Committee recommendation proposed to
allow use of copper to continue for controlling plant diseases, but
to require documentation of periodic testing to ensure that the copper
does not build up in the soil.
See details and Beyond Pesticides’ recommended
action.
See Beyond Pesticides’ comments submitted
to the board.
Final Board Action
Vote to accept annotation requiring documentation:
Yes – 6 (NM, BF, JFe, JT, MS, CB)
No – 8 (WF, TE, CW, SD, KH, JFo, JD, TM)
Vote to keep copper materials on the National List in their current
form:
Yes – Unanimous
Summary
Copper compounds can continue to be used by organic farmers to fight
disease, as long as the substance does not build up in the soil. The
board voted down the proposal to require documentation of reduced build
up due to some board member’s beliefs that the current annotation
is sufficient to reduce accumulation and that certifiers are verifying
this at the individual farm level.
Corn Steep
Liquor
Proposed Action
A majority of the Crops
Committee recommended finding that corn steep liquor (CSL) is nonsynthetic,
and thus, automatically allowed for use in organic production. A significant
minority of the committee, however, strongly criticized this recommendation
and advocated for finding CSL synthetic, due to scientific analysis
they had received categorizing the CSL production process as constituting
chemical change to a form other than its natural form.
See
details and Beyond Pesticides’ recommended actions.
See Beyond Pesticides’ comments submitted to
the board.
Final Board Action
Vote to find CSL nonsynthetic:
Yes – 5 (WF, TE, SD, KH, JD)
No – 6 (NM, CW, BF, JFe, JT, CB)
Abstain – 1 (MS)
Recuse – 2 (JFo, TM)
Summary
The board did not find that CSL is a nonsynthetic substance. Confusingly,
according to staff at the USDA National Organic Program, this does not
constitute a finding by the board that CSL is synthetic. Such a finding
would require a separate, direct vote. Though seemingly esoteric on
the surface, the CSL issue became highly controversial because of its
implications for classification of future materials as synthetic or
natural. The debate revolved around the board’s definition of
“synthetic” and how to determine whether a material is synthetic,
which is an issue at the very heart of organic principles that seek
to minimize synthetic inputs.
Nickel
Proposed Action
The Crops Committee, responding to a petition to add nickel to the
National List as a soil micronutrient, recommended
against allowing its use due to concerns over toxicity, carcinogenicity,
and whether or not it was truly necessary.
See
details and Beyond Pesticides’ recommended actions.
See Beyond Pesticides’ comments submitted
to the board.
Final Board Action
Vote to add nickel to National List:
Yes – 5 (KH, MS, JFo, JD, TM)
No – 9 (WF, TE, NM, CW, BF, JFe, SD, JT CB)
Summary
Nickel remains prohibited for use in organic production due to the
board’s concerns over its status as a known human carcinogen.
Pheromones
Proposed Action
The Crops
Committee originally recommended adding an annotation to the listing
of pheromones which would have limited approved pheromone products to
only passive dispensers (as opposed to sprays) and clarified that only
approved inert ingredients could be used to formulate pheromone products.
However, this recommendation was withdrawn prior to the full board vote
due to some member’s beliefs that the inerts section was redundant.
See
details and Beyond Pesticides’ recommended actions.
See Beyond Pesticides’ comments submitted
to the board.
Final Board Action
Vote to keep pheromones on the National List in their current form:
Yes – Unanimous
Summary
Pheromones will continue to be approved for use by organic farmers
without restriction. The issue of inert ingredients is still being evaluated
by the NOP Inerts Working Group.
Sulfur Dioxide
Proposed Action
The Crops
Committee recommended removing sulfur dioxide from the National
List as an ingredient in smoke bombs to control rodents due to its concerns
that the ingredient is not registered by the EPA as a rodenticide, but
that there are other materials that are registered for such uses. It
concluded that it was possible the wrong active ingredient for smoke
bombs was listed.
Final Board Action
Vote to relist sulfur dioxide on the National List:*
Yes – 9 (WF, TE, NM, CW, SD, KH, JFo, JD, TM)
No – 5 (BF, JFe, JT, MS, CB)
*According to the Organic Foods Production Act, any
“decisive” NOSB vote requires a 2/3 majority to pass. With
14 members on the board, 2/3 would be 10 members, thus, 9 yes votes
do not result in passage of the motion.
Summary
Sulfur dioxide as an ingredient in underground smoke bombs will be
taken off the National List and no longer be allowed for use by organic
farmers to control rodents.
Ethylene Gas
Proposed Action
The Crops
Committee recommended against continuing to allow ethylene gas to
be used for induction of pineapple flowering due to information on alternatives
as well as concerns that use of a synthetic material to induce unnatural
flowering is inconsistent with organic principles.
Final Board Action
Vote to relist ethylene on the National List:
Yes – 10 (WF, TE, NM, CW, SD, KH, MS, JFo, JD,
TM)
No – 4 (BF, JFe, JT, CB)
Summary
The recommendation was rejected, and ethylene will continue to be allowed
for use by organic farmers to induce pineapple flowering.
Sodium Nitrate
Proposed Action
The Crops
Committee recommended removing the annotation currently allowing
use of sodium nitrate as a nitrogen source. Sodium is currently on the
National List as a prohibited natural material, but with an annotation
allowing farmers to use it for up to 20% of their crop’s total
nitrogen. Thus, removing the annotation would fully and completely prohibit
the material.
See
details and Beyond Pesticides’ recommended actions.
See Beyond Pesticides’ comments submitted
to the board.
Final Board Action
Vote to remove annotation and prohibit use:
Yes – 10 (WF, TE, NM, CW, BF, JFe, JT, MS, CB,
JD)
No – 2 (SD, KH)
Recuse – 2 (JFo, TM)
Summary
Sodium nitrate will no longer be allowed for use by organic farmers
to source any of their crops’ nitrogen. The board voted this way
due to beliefs that direct feeding of crops with nitrogen is inconsistent
with the organic ideal of cultivating healthy soils full of essential
plant nutrients, as well as out of concern for its potential to leach
into groundwater due to its high solubility and its status as a nonrenewable,
mined substance.
Chlorine Materials
Proposed Action
The Crops
Committee recommended a change in the annotation to chlorine materials
in order to clarify proper use procedures and limits.
See
details and Beyond Pesticides’ recommended actions.
See Beyond Pesticides’ comments submitted
to the board.
Final Board Action
Vote to change annotation:
Yes – Unanimous
Summary
Chlorine materials will remain approved for use by organic farmers,
but with the limitation that residual chlorine concentrations in water
should not exceed the disinfectant limits specified in the Safe Drinking
Water Act. Chlorine can be used up to the maximum labeled rates when
disinfecting or sanitizing tools and equipment or in the production
of edible sprouts.
Miscellaneous Materials
The following materials were relisted in their current
form unanimously (except where noted) and will remain approved for use
by organic farmers:
Alcohols
(ethanol & ispropanol) – as algicides, disinfectants, and sanitizers
Newspaper
– as mulch and compost feedstock
Plastic
mulch – as mulch, provided it is taken up at the end
of the season
Vitamin
D3 – as a rodenticide
Lignin
Sulfonate (slight annotation change to remove redundant wording)
– as a chelating agent, dust suppressant, and floatation agent
Magnesium
Sulfate (one vote against - JT) – as a soil amendment
with documented soil deficiency
Sodium
Silicate – as a floatation agent in post harvest handling
Nutrient(s,)
Vitamins and Minerals
Proposed Action
The Handling Committee had proposed a recommendation
which would have expanded approved nutrient additives in organic food,
either natural or synthetic, to include any that have been deemed nutritionally
essential by bodies such as the FDA or the Institute of Medicine of
the National Academies. Due to thousands of public comments in opposition
to this recommendation as well as input from the National Organic Program
regarding potential problems with the proposed recommendation, the committee
withdrew the matter and will rework the recommendation for the next
NOSB meeting in the fall. Thus, the final proposed motion was to reapprove
nutrient vitamins and minerals as they are currently listed on the National
List.
See Beyond Pesticides' comments submitted to
the board.
Final Board Action
Vote to relist nutrient vitamins and minerals as they currently appear:
Yes – 13
No – 0
Abstain - 1 (TM)
Summary
Nutrient vitamins and minerals will remain approved for use as ingredients
in processed organic foods in their current form. The Handling Committee
will bring a new recommendation regarding nutrient supplementation to
the fall 2011 NOSB meeting.
Attapulgite
Proposed Action
In response to a petition to the board to add attapulgite to the National
List as a processing aid in the handling of oils, the Handling
Committee recommended finding the material to be nonsynthetic and
allowing it to be used in the handling of organic foods.
Final Board Action
Vote to classify attapulgite as nonsynthetic:
Yes – Unanimous
Vote to add to National List as allowed material:
Yes – 12
No – 1 (KH)
Abstain – 1 (CB)
Summary
Attapulgite will now be approved for use in handling of organically
produced foods to aid in the processing of plant and animal oils.
Calcium Acid Pyrophosphate
Proposed Action
The Handling
Committee recommended rejecting the petition to add calcium acid
pyrophosphate to the National List as a leavening agent in baked goods.
The committee was concerned about the use of phosphoric acid in the
production process as well as about the harmful environmental effects
of mining for the materials. Additionally, the committee noted the presence
of sodium acid pyrophosphate and other calcium phosphates already on
the National List for leavening purposes.
Final Board Action
Vote to classify material as synthetic:
Yes – 13
No – 1 (JT)
Vote to add material to National List as allowed substance:
Yes – 5 (BF, KH, JFo, JD, TM)
No – 9 (WF, TE, NM, CW, JFe, SD, JT, MS, CB)
Summary
Calcium acid pyrophosphate will remain prohibited for use in processing
and handling organic foods.
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
Proposed Action
The Handling
Committee recommended rejecting the petition to expand the approved
uses of sodium acid pyrophosphate (already on the National List for
use as a leavening agent in baked goods) to include its use as a sequestrant
on cooked and uncooked produce. The committee was again concerned about
the use of phosphoric acid in production. In addition, the committee
saw no data pointing to this use of this material as being essential
for organic production.
Final Board Action
Vote to classify material as synthetic:
Yes – Unanimous
Vote to add material to National List as approved substance:
No – Unanimous
Summary
Sodium acid pyrophosphate will remain approved for use by organic processors
as a leavening agent in organic baked goods, but will not be allowed
for any other use.
Potassium Iodide
Proposed Action
Potassium Iodide is currently allowed on the National List as an ingredient
in processed organic products as both a synthetic and nonsynthetic material.
This is due to the fact that there are naturally occurring forms of
the substance available as well as synthetically produced forms. The
committee recommended clearing up this confusion by removing
the substance as an allowed synthetic, thus allowing
only naturally-sourced forms of potassium iodide in organic foods.
Final Board Action
Vote to keep nonsynthetic forms on National List:
Yes – Unanimous
Vote to keep synthetic forms on National List:
No – Unanimous
Summary
Natural forms of potassium iodide will continue to be allowed as ingredients
in products labeled as “organic” or “made with organic,”
while use of synthetic forms of the substance will now be prohibited.
Relisted with no change in use:
Enzymes (one vote against - JT) – as nonsynthetic ingredient in
processed organic foods
Tocopherols
(unanimous) – as synthetic ingredient in processed organic foods,
and can be derived from vegetable oil when rosemary extracts are not suitable
Livestock
Recommendations
The Livestock Committee removed their recommendations
from consideration after receiving numerous comments from the public
and from farmers resulting in significant changes to the recommendations.
The committee plans to rework the recommendations and bring them back
to the full board for the fall 2011 meeting. You can read the full original
recommendations below.
Materials Classification
Guidance
Proposed Action
The Materials Committee developed a recommendation involving two separate
motions to change the way that the board classifies materials.
The first motion was to eliminate a sentence that the committee added
to the board’s definition of “chemical change” in
April 2010. This definition is highly significant for evaluating whether
a material is natural or synthetic due to the board’s definition
of “synthetic” including any material that has gone through
chemical change. The committee proposes to remove a sentence from the
definition of “chemical change” which had exempted “processing”
from being a method that results in chemical change. The committee still
believes that processing a material should not result in its immediate
classification as synthetic, but wishes to address the matter through
a guidance document, rather than amending the definition.
The second motion relates to residues of synthetic substances in final
organic food products. The committee ultimately adopted a recommendation
that, for the purposes of definition, a “significant level”
of synthetic residue on the final product is defined as “a level
exceeding any applicable regulatory limits, where in effect for the
material classified,” such as EPA pesticide tolerance levels.
See
details and Beyond Pesticides’ recommended actions.
See Beyond Pesticides’ comments submitted
to the board.
Final Board Action
1st motion, to remove processing exemption from definition of chemical
change:
Yes – Unanimous
2nd motion, to define “significant” in terms of synthetic
residue:
Yes – 8 (WF, TE, CW, SD, KH, JFo, JD, TM)
No – 6 (NM, BF, JFe, JT, MS, CB)
Summary
"Processing" will no longer be specifically excluded from
the board’s definition of “chemical change” as it
relates to classifying a material as natural or synthetic.
Adoption of the definition of “significant” did not pass,
lacking a 2/3 majority of the board. The Materials Committee will go
back and rework the recommendation for the next NOSB meeting in fall
2011.
