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2023
WHAT IS THE NATIONAL
ORGANIC STANDARDS
BOARD
How does it affect your farm?
By, Harriet Behar
WHAT IS THE NATIONAL
ORGANIC STANDARDS BOARD?
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is a Federal
country to increase accessibility to different regions.
Advisory Board to the USDA National Organic Program
The meetings are also livestreamed.
(NOP). The NOSB was established by the 1990 law, the
Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), to represent the
The NOSB has been meeting since 1992 and helped
organic community in the public-private partnership
create the framework for the National Organic
between the USDA NOP and the organic community.
Standards and National Organic Program at USDA.
The NOSB consists of 15 public volunteers with
The public-private partnership is unique and crucial
designated seats representing the diversity of the organic
to the National Organic Program. Twice a year, the
community: 4 farmers, 2 handlers/ processors, 3
board involves the organic community to provide
environmentalists/resource conservationists, 3
input on a wide range of issues involving the
consumer/public interest advocates, 1 retailer, 1 scientist,
production, handling, and processing of organic
and 1 organic certifying agent.
products. Referencing this input, the board makes
recommendations for the National Organic Program
Each NOSB member is appointed by the U.S. Secretary of
and the Secretary of Agriculture. The NOSB has
Agriculture for a term of one to five years. USDA publishes
statutory powers over the National List of Allowed
a call for nominations each Spring, and newly appointed
and Prohibited Substances, which identifies
members begin service in January of the next year.
substances that may and may not be used in organic
crop and livestock production and in or on processed
The NOSB meets twice a year at a public meeting, typically
organic products.
in April and October, to discuss the items on its work
agenda, vote on proposals, and make recommendations to
If an NOSB proposal receives a decisive vote (2/3
the Secretary. These meetings invite public input via
majority) by Board members in favor of the proposed
submitted written and virtual oral comments. All meetings
motion, it becomes a recommendation to the USDA
are free and open to the public, and move around the
Secretary and the NOP.
Farmers
Consumer/
Public Interest
Retailer
Environmentalists/
Resource
Conservationists
Scientist
Processors
Certification Agent
NOSB Spring 2023 Meeting
Highlights for Organic Farmers
Written By, Harriet Behar
Organic is
The National Organic Standards Board held
Climate
National List
Smart
Materials
its spring 2023 meeting both virtually and in
person between April 18-27 in Atlanta, GA.
Review
Crop
Hydroponic
Insurance
Debate
As is typical for the spring meetings, there
was mostly discussion on a variety of
proposals and the many materials that are
going through their sunset review which
happens every five years for every material
on the National List. There was no in-person
public comment; this was taken only during
the two webinars which occurred the week
before the in-person meeting. Numerous
farmers continued to state that the spring
and fall dates of the two yearly NOSB
meetings make it very difficult for them to
participate, and the NOSB responded that
these are the best dates for the meetings,
ORGANIC IS CLIMATE-SMART
even though it is not perfect. One farmer
A proposal that organic agriculture is climate-smart and should be
suggested the NOSB have two virtual
approved for all USDA funding that might be focused on that issue,
“listening sessions” that would occur in
passed the NOSB. Many public commenters expressed their
between the usual fall and spring meeting
opinion that hydroponic production was not climate-smart and
times to allow for more farmer participation,
that allowing hydroponic under the organic rules damaged the
and that is being considered by the National
organic climate-smart claim. Some NOSB members pushed back on
Organic Program and the NOSB. The NOSB
this idea arguing that the hydroponic issue is settled and that
also discussed but did not vote on bringing
perhaps the main reason producers did not like hydroponic was it
back in-person public comments, in addition
was negatively affecting their markets. Most of the producers who
to the virtual ones, with no consensus
expressed their concern with organic labeling of hydroponic
reached on that topic.
operations were grain producers, who stated their opinions were
based on the rules requiring soil building and other aspects that
are not part of hydroponic. The board discussed bringing back
NOSB and public discussion on the various production methods
used for producing perennials and annuals in field containers and
ORGANIC FARMERS ASSOCIATION
greenhouses, but no decision was made to add the
board only discussed whether this was feasible or not. As
topic to future NOSB agendas.
it stands now, all vaccines (GMO or not) are being allowed
CROP INSURANCE, GPS
FIELD LOCATIONS, IONEXCHANGE RESINS
There was good public input and Board discussion on
aiding organic producers in obtaining appropriate
by some certifiers, and some certifiers are not allowing
GMO vaccines, since the rule requires them to be on the
National List, which they are not.
It appears this
inconsistency will continue until there is clearer guidance
from the NOP.
crop insurance, as well as how to best use various
RESEARCH PRIORITIES
GPS or other technologies to determine exact field
The long list of research priorities, given to the agricultural
locations
religious
research community and USDA granting agencies, was
objections from the Plain Community as well as lack
improved. There was also agreement within the NOSB to
of satellite or cell access both domestically and
continue working on the “To Be Determined” list of
internationally. In handling, the NOSB voted to allow
excluded methods, which has been on the work agenda of
ion exchange resins to be used in organic, without
the NOSB for many years. The fall NOSB in-person
being placed on the National List.
meeting will be held in Rhode Island from Tuesday,
taking
into
account
both
NATIONAL LIST
October 24-Thursday October 26, with two virtual public
comment sessions on Tuesday, October 17 and Thursday,
CROP SUNSET: Board members discussed negative
October 19. Typically, signups for public comment fill up
environmental issues from both newspaper and plastic
fast and the announcement for the signup is about 7-8
mulches and covers, but it did not seem that they
weeks before the virtual comment dates. You can testify
would be voted off in the fall. Sulfur and lime also had
from the field using your smart phone!
their own possible negative effects, but the benefits
that these materials provided were seen to outweigh
these problems.
Liquid fish products were also
discussed, especially in relation to the amount of
Harriet Behar runs organic Sweet Springs Farm in
Gays Mills, Wisconsin. She serves on the OFA
Governing Council and Policy Committee and has
served as the Chair of the NOSB.
phosphoric acid used to bring down the pH to 3.5, and
in relation to using by-product only in liquid fish crop
inputs to preserve native fish populations, but there
was still mostly positive support to relist at the vote
this fall.
LIVESTOCK SUNSET: Alcohols, aspirin, electrolytes,
glycerin, lime, and mineral oil were all supported for
relisting. For vaccines, the board discussed a previous
NOSB recommendation to only allow GMO vaccines if
NOSB 2023 FALL MTG:
PROVIDENCE, RI
Public Comment Webinars
Tuesday, October 17 @ 12-5 pm Eastern
Thursday, October 19 @ 12-5 pm Eastern
NOSB Public Meeting in Providence, RI
October 24 – 26 from 9 am – 6 pm Eastern
CLICK HERE FOR USDA’s WEBSITE TO
REGISTER TO TESTIFY!
*FARMER VOICES ARE IMPORTANT!
non-GMO vaccines were not commercially available.
The NOP has this recommendation on hold, so the
This article was supported through the USDA TOPP Program of the USDA Organic
Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
(AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).
ORGANIC FARMERS ASSOCIATION