The USDA has just announced the renewal of 187 approved ingredients on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List). This is just further proof that once a substance gets on this National List, it is very hard for it to be removed.
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Organic food companies often use a variety of third-party, animal-welfare certifications on their packaging. But what do they really mean? Stephanie Strom of The New York Times tells us.
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Implementation of organic animal welfare standards has been pushed back two months to May 19th. This is leading to some speculation that they may be amended or canceled altogether.
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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.
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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.
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There is a legal explanation as to why cannabis, even if grown to USDA organic standards, cannot be called ‘organic’.
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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.
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A Canadian supplier of chicken has been charged for fraudulently labeling its products as certified organic when it was conventional.
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Unlike the U.S. where we have no separate organic standards for beauty products, the EU has just launched its own set of rules.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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