Sam Jones-Ellard (202) 720-8998 Samuel.Jones@ams.usda.gov Billy Cox (202) 720-8998 Billy.Cox@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2010 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP) today published proposed amendments to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances for crop production. The proposed rule addresses the addition of sulfurous acid for use in organic crop production to the list of NOP allowed materials following evaluation and recommendation by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). It also proposes to amend the annotation for one material, tetracycline, for use in organic crop production.
Under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act, the Secretary of Agriculture can amend the National List based on proposed amendments developed by the NOSB. The NOSB primarily assists the Secretary in developing standards for substances to be used in organic production. The National List identifies the synthetic substances that may be used and the nonsynthetic (natural) substances that may not be used in organic production. It also identifies nonagricultural and nonorganic agricultural substances that may be used in organic handling.
Since being established in 2001, the National List has been amended 11 times; the last one on Oct. 9, 2008. The proposed rule was published in today’s Federal Register. The comment period for the proposed rule closes on March 15, 2010. Interested parties can view the proposed rule and post comments at https://www.regulations.gov. Comments can also be submitted by mail to: Toni Strother, Agricultural Marketing Specialist, National Organic Program, USDA-AMS-TMP-NOP, Room 2646-So., Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-0268. For further information about the proposed rule, contact Shannon Nally, Acting Director, Standards Division, at (202) 720-3252.
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