USDA Announces Meeting of Organics Board

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced an April 26-29, 2011,
public meeting of its National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which will
review recommendations pertaining to the National List of Allowed and
Prohibited Substances. Under the Organic Foods Production Act, the list
governs the synthetic substances that may be used, and the nonsynthetic
substances that cannot be used, in organic production and handling
operations.

NOSB will consider exemptions and prohibitions for a variety of substances
scheduled for sunset review, including ethanol, tetracycline, nickel, sodium
nitrate, and newspaper and other recycled papers. It will also discuss animal
handling, transit and slaughter recommendations, as well as other NOSB
policy and procedure changes. The agency will accept pre-registration for
public comments before April 10, 2011. See Federal Register, March 4, 2011.