After many months of delays, The White House Office of Management and Budget has signed off on the proposed organic animal welfare standards. While far from perfect, they are certainly an improvement over existing rules. Now, the standards must be published by the USDA in the Federal Register before January 20th in order to go into effect.
Read Article
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said that the proposed animal welfare standards may not get passed under the Obama administration, which puts these rules in real jeopardy.
Read Article
There is a legal explanation as to why cannabis, even if grown to USDA organic standards, cannot be called ‘organic’.
Read Article
Funded by the 2014 Farm Bill, the USDA Organic INTEGRITY database has just received a variety of improvements. This article gives a good recap of what is new.
Read Article
A Canadian supplier of chicken has been charged for fraudulently labeling its products as certified organic when it was conventional.
Read Article
Unlike the U.S. where we have no separate organic standards for beauty products, the EU has just launched its own set of rules.
Read Article
A California court has ruled that consumers can sue the USDA for how it implemented changes to the very important Sunset Rule, the process which allows synthetic substances in organic.
Read Article
The issue of hydroponics being allowed in organics is very muddled. The NOSB’s task force just released its report on hydroponics, which doesn’t do much to clear up the confusion.
Read Article
Unfortunately, non-organic seeds are allowed in organic farming. This insightful piece shares why and the problem we face with our seed supply.
Read Article In an important ruling for the industry, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that the USDA acted illegally when the agency allowed for pesticide-contaminated compost.
Read Article
The Senate and the House have received permission from the White House to extend the commenting period for the animal welfare regulations that have recently been proposed by the USDA.
Read Article
