The first National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meeting of 2024 will be held April 29 – May 1 in Milwaukee, WI. The Board meets twice a year in a public forum to discuss and vote on proposals that aim to improve and clarify the organic regulations. Public comment webinars will take place on Tuesday, April 23 and Thursday, April 25. In person comments are scheduled for Monday, April 29, Tuesday, April 30, and Wednesday, May 1.
Find meeting details, including the agenda, documents for that will be discussed, and how to sign-up for oral comments using the button below.
It is time for organic seed policy to catch up with the progress we’ve seen in organic seed availability by requiring improvement in organic seed sourcing on an annual basis and taking action to protect and enhance the integrity of the organic label. OSA’s comments for the spring NOSB meeting will focus on moving the organic seed requirement forward by urging the National Organic Program (NOP) to:
- Swiftly implement the NOSB’s 2018 recommendation to update the organic seed requirement, which would mandate that organic producers demonstrate improvement in organic seed sourcing on an annual basis.
- Implement the NOSB’s 2019 recommendations for updating the organic seed guidance document to support certifiers and inspectors enforce the seed requirement.
The NOSB’s Materials/GMO Subcommittee has also updated a Technical Review template passed in January 2024, which was developed to directly address Excluded Methods (begins on page 37). The Board is looking for your input on the use of this template in assessing Excluded Methods.
Your input is essential to the public policy making process and helps to strengthen the integrity of the organic label. If you’re a plant breeder, social scientist, seed grower, farmer, policy advocate, or other, take a look at these materials and then get involved by submitting comments no later than April 3, 2024 (the deadline for written comments).
Are you considering attending the meeting in person? Join us at the National Organic Coalition’s (NOC) Pre-NOSB Meeting on April 28.
Attention farmers! NOC is providing a limited number of travel scholarships for farmers interested in participating in the Pre-NOSB Meeting and/or NOSB Meeting. Priority will be given to farmers who apply by Monday, April 1.