Release No.: 085-15
WASHINGTON, June 18, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is implementing the National Organic Standards Board’s sunset review recommendations for five substances on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) for use in organic production and handling.
USDA is renewing three substances for crop production (sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, aqueous potassium silicate, and sulfurous acid) and two substances for use in organic handling (gellan gum and tragacanth gum). This action will be published in the June 19, 2015, Federal Register.
The substance renewals to the National List are based upon the sunset review by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), a citizen advisory committee appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture that must review National List substances every 5 years. The NOSB held two public meetings in 2014, at which members heard comments on various substances up for review. For substances that have been renewed on the National List, this notice completes the 2015 National List Sunset Process.
The renewed crop production substances include:
- Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate is derived from hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate. It is used as an algaecide for cleaning irrigation systems.
- Aqueous potassium silicate is a biopesticide derived from sand and used for insect, mite and plant disease control.
- Sulfurous acid is derived from elemental sulfur and used to improve water quality by reducing pH in high alkaline irrigation water.
The renewed substances for organic handling include:
- Gellan gum is a polysaccharide gum produced as a fermentation product of the microbe Sphingomonas elodea. Gellum gum is used as a thickening and gelling agent in food products, including bakery fillings, confections, dairy products, dessert gels, frostings, icings, glazes and jams.
- Tragacanth gum is an exudite gum derived from Astragulus species growing in the Middle East. It is used as a thickening agent in confections.
The renewal of the 2015 sunset substances reflect the NOSB’s comprehensive sunset review process and feedback from organic farmers, businesses, and consumer groups. The renewals to the National List will allow organic farms and businesses to utilize these substances in organic production and handling.
The NOSB also reviewed and recommended removal of two substances during the two 2014 public meetings. USDA will publish a proposed rule for public comment to remove fortified cooking wines (sherry and marsala) – from being allowed in organic handling.
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