The Organic Trade Association announced a lawsuit against the Department of Agriculture over its failure to advance new organic livestock standards. The suit alleges USDA violated the Organic Foods Production Act, and unlawfully delayed the effective date of the final livestock standards. The trade association further contends that the Trump Administration’s regulatory freeze order issued to federal agencies in January …
Head of USDA Organic Program Stepping Down
The leader of the Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program will step down at the end of the month. Miles McEvoy will vacate the position overseeing the program and return to his home state of Washington. McEvoy led the program that oversees organic regulations and the USDA organic seal for eight years. McEvoy told Fern’s Ag Insider that his original …
Organic Family Farmers Need Strong Standards and Enforcement
American family farmers and ranchers grow and raise organic foods for the nation under strict standards. Those standards are set by the National Organic Program under the guidance of the National Organic Standards Board and protect the integrity of the industry. When major producers and organic product importers fail to comply with these standards, it puts all organic farmers and …
Agri View: Organic Foods Growing
Everett Griner talks about organic foods covers more in today’s Agri View. Now, what began as a social fad has turned into a worldwide heath obsession. Organic foods. It has grown from a small number of independent growers to nearly 25,000 certified organic operations. That is in America. Worldwide the number is now estimated at over 37,000 certified …
Alabama Producers Can Apply for Organic Cost Share Programs
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) wants to remind growers and handlers of organic agricultural products that they can recover part of the cost of their USDA certification. Through USDA, funds have been allocated to reimburse producers and handlers who either obtain or renew their organic certification in the fiscal year that ends September 30, 2017. The reimbursement …
Organic Trade Associations Applauds USDA for Revoking Organic License
The Organic Trade Association welcomed a move by the Department of Agriculture aimed at stopping fraudulent organic products from entering the United States. USDA this week revoked the organic certificate for a Turkish firm for shipping nonorganic ingredients to the United States labeled as organic, according to the Hagstrom Report. The Organic Trade Association said “fraud cannot be tolerated in …
Organic Industry to Create Anti-fraud Task Force
A task force started by the Organic Trade Association will work on best-practices to verify international organic products. The anti-fraud task force will create guidelines for the private sector to use in verifying its international supply chains. The task force follows news of a shipment of fraudulent organic corn and soybeans that entered the United States from Turkey. The task …
USDA Seeks Nominations for the National Organic Standards Board
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations to fill an upcoming vacancy on the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), a Federal advisory committee. Written nominations, with cover letter, resume, and an advisory committee background information form, must be postmarked or received on or before by Aug. 7, 2017. The 15 member NOSB includes four organic farmers; two handlers; …
Robust Organic Sector Posts New Records in U.S. Sales
The robust American organic sector stayed on its upward trajectory in 2016, gaining new market share and shattering records, as consumers across the United States ate and used more organic products than ever before, according to the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA’s) 2017 Organic Industry Survey released Wednesday at OTA’s Annual Policy Conference. Organic sales in the U.S. totaled around $47 …
Perdue Discusses Citrus, Organics and NAFTA
New Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue testified before the House Agriculture Committee Wednesday, and was asked various questions from those who serve on that committee. One of those was Darren Michael Soto from Orlando, Florida, the U.S. Representative for Florida’s 9th district. Congressman Soto asked Perdue about citrus greening. Congressman Soto also asked Perdue about organics and NAFTA. Sponsored …