WASHINGTON — The USDA is accepting comments on the scheduled expiration of 12 substances allowed or prohibited for use in organic agriculture.
As required by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, substances on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, a part of the organic regulations, must sunset after five years of listing.
Sunset would cease to allow or prohibit these substances in organic production or handling, depending on the substance category.
What’s expiring. The regulatory allowance or prohibition in organic production and handling of the following 12 substances will expire on Nov. 3, 2013:
Allowed for use in organic crop production:
• Copper sulfate (2 listings),
• Ozone gas,
• Peracetic acid (2 listings), and
• EPA List 3 — Inerts of unknown toxicity
Prohibited for use in organic crop production:
• Calcium chloride: Brine process is natural and prohibited for use except as a foliar spray to treat physiological disorder associated with calcium uptake.
Allowed for use in organic handling:
• Agar-agar,
• Animal enzymes,
• Calcium sulfate,
• Carrageenan,
• Cellulose,
• Glucono delta-lactone,
• Tartaric acid, made from grape wine, and
• Tartaric acid, made from malic acid.
Speak out
The National Organic Program is inviting comments from the public on these provisions.
The National Organic Standards Board will then review these listings and related public comments before making a recommendation to the Secretary of Agriculture for rulemaking.
To read the full document and provide relevant comments, visit www.regulations.gov [identify docket number AMS-NOP-11-0003; NOP-10-13]. Comments must be submitted on or before Aug. 1, 2011.
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