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Understanding the USDA Organic Standards

Understanding the USDA Organic Standards. shawn.wright@uky.edu 606-666-2438 ext. 234 130 Robinson Rd. Jackson, KY 41339. Myths?. Organic food is more nutritious Organic food costs more Organic food is locally produced Organic food is better for the environment

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Understanding the USDA Organic Standards

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  1. Understanding the USDA Organic Standards shawn.wright@uky.edu 606-666-2438 ext. 234 130 Robinson Rd. Jackson, KY 41339

  2. Myths? • Organic food is more nutritious • Organic food costs more • Organic food is locally produced • Organic food is better for the environment • Organic food is lower quality

  3. Why choose organic? • Risk Management/health • Risk=f(hazard, exposure) • World View • Social/Religious/Philosophical • Economics

  4. Extension’s Role in AssistingOrganic Growers Understand and appreciate the fundamental approach Understand that organic farming operates on the same scientific principles governing any agricultural system Apply scientific principles within the agro-ecological model embraced by many organic farmers

  5. Soil Testing • Cover Cropping • Pollination

  6. What is “Organic”? • Practice Based Standards • Mandatory Certification • Required Organic System Plan • Use of only Approved Substances • On-Site Inspection

  7. 100% Organic • Products labeled as “100 percent organic” must contain (excluding water and salt) only organically produced ingredients and processing aids.

  8. Organic • at least 95% organic excluding water and salt. Remaining ingredients must consist of nonagricultural substances approved on the National List including specific non-organically produced agricultural products that are not commercially available in organic form.

  9. “made with organic ingredients*” • Processed products that contain at least 70 % organic ingredients can use the phrase and list up to three of the organic ingredients or food groups on the principal display panel e.g. “soup made with organic peas, potatoes, and carrots,” or “soup made with organic vegetables.” • * USDA seal can’t be used anywhere on the package

  10. Penalties for misuse of labels • A civil penalty of up to $11,000 can be levied on any person who knowingly sells or labels as organic a product that is not produced and handled in accordance with the National Organic Program’s regulations.

  11. USDAAMS/NOP Accreditation Regulations NOSB Certification Agency Review Applications Enforcement Farm Inspection Extension Agent Farmer, Processor, etc.

  12. NOSB must consider when evaluating a substance for the National List: • Impact on human health and the environment • Essentiality and availability • Compatibility and consistency with a system of sustainable agriculture • Commercial availability of non‐organic agricultural ingredients

  13. Organic Standards for Crops • Organic System Plan • Distinct, defined buffers for landHow Big??? ~ 30’ • Land must be free of prohibited materials for 3 years prior to harvest

  14. Basic Crop Requirements – soil • Must use proper tillage and cultivation practices to maintain condition of the soil and minimize soil erosion. • Must manage fertility and nutrients through crop rotations, cover crops, and plant and animal materials • Fertility management must not contaminate crops, soil, or water with plant nutrients, pathogen organisms, heavy metals, or prohibited substances.

  15. Adding Nitrogen • Leguminous cover crops • Winter peas ~ 60# N • Cowpeas • Beans • Clovers ~ 80#N • Vetch ~ 100#N • Meals (fish, cottonseed, soybean, feather) ~5-10% N • Most composted manures are less than 3.5% N

  16. Adding organic matter • Sorghum-sudan grass • annual ryegrass • cereal rye • winter wheat

  17. Crop Requirements – soil • Compost that is manure based must be produced to standards • Uncomposted plant materials are allowed • Raw manure must be applied at least 90-120 days prior to harvest of crops for human consumption

  18. Compost Rules • NOP rule has prescriptive guideline If manure/animal material is used, must • Reach 131-170 oF (55-75 oC) for 15 days • Turn 5 times in that period • Initial C/N ratio between 25:1 and 40:1 • Monitoring must be documented in the OrganicSystem Plan

  19. Crop Requirements – soil fertility • Natural mined fertility inputs are allowed. • Greensand – 3%K • Rock phosphate or bone meal ~8-20% P • All synthetic fertility inputs must appear on the National List of Allowed Substances. • Sewage sludge (biosolids) prohibited • AAPFCO - Association of American Plant Food Control Officials

  20. Basic Crop Requirements (continued) • Burning crop residues is prohibited • Must use organic seeds, if they are commercially available for an equivalent variety • Non-organic use must be justified for reasons of form, quantity, or quality of seed, not price Commercial Availability?

  21. Basic Crop Requirements (continued) • Must use organic seedlings for annual crops. • Non organic planting stock may be used for annual crops if organically produced stock is not commercially available. • Perennial crops may be grown from non-organic planting stock that is managed organically for one year prior to harvest.

  22. Weed Management • Crop rotation, field prep and mechanical cultivation, hand weeding, mulching with natural materials, flame weeding, grazing livestock, mowing

  23. Pest, Disease, Weed Control • For pest, weeds and disease problems – Preferred are cultural methods; rotation, sanitation, use of beneficial insects, traps, mulching , mowing etc. • May only use non-synthetic biological, botanical, or mineral inputs or substances on the National List for pest, weed, or disease control when other practices are insufficient.

  24. What is the “National List” ? • Part of the NOP regulations 7CFR 205.600. • For Crop and Livestock, List of “exceptions” • all naturals are allowed, unless they listed as prohibited • all synthetics are prohibited, unless they are on the list

  25. Examples of Synthetic Substances on USDANational List for Crops • Soaps • Narrow range oils • Sticky traps, barriers • Coppers exempt from EPA tolerance • Hydrogen peroxide • Elemental Sulfur • Pheromones

  26. Examples of natural substances NOT on the National List, but ALLOWED for organic • Pyrethrum, Rotenone, Neem extracts No Rotenone Formulations • Bacillus thuringiensis No Bt var. tenenbrionis formulations • Beauvariabassiana • Spinosad • Limonene - and other plant extracts • Mined minerals- limestone, gypsum, potassium sulfate

  27. Examples of prohibited naturals that are “allowed” with restrictions • Sodium nitrate – prohibited unless use less than 20% of crops nitrogen requirement • Potassium chloride – must minimize chloride accumulation in the soil • Calcium chloride (brine process) except for foliar sprays to treat disorders related to Ca uptake

  28. Examples of Prohibited synthetic materials that do NOT appear on the National List • Ammoniated fertilizers, including ammonium nitrate, anhydrous ammonia, etc • Urea • Superphosphate, triple phosphate • Calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide • Plastic polymers used in seed pellets

  29. How do farmers and Advisors know what products are allowed? • Important to check with the Certification Agency for their approval of materials • Some publish lists, or have policy regarding disclosure of ingredients • Many rely on OMRI services, but not only OMRI • OMRI Brand Name List is available on the web, listed products may carry a seal. www.omri.org

  30. Remember the Important Role of Organic Matter in Soils Physical Improves aggregation (glue) Improves water holding capacity (surface area) Chemical Increases nutrient availability (cycling, P and micronutrient solubility Increases CEC (200 cmolc kg-1) Buffers the soil against pH changes Biological • Increases microbial diversity • Assists in pathogen suppression

  31. Who needs to be certified? • Operations or portions of operations that produce or handle agricultural products that are intended to be sold, labeled, or represented as "100 percent organic," "organic," or "made with organic ingredients" or food group(s).

  32. Who does NOT need to be certified? • Producers and handling (processing) operations that sell less than $5,000 a year in organic agricultural products. Although exempt from certification, these producers and handlers must abide by the national standards for organic products and may label their products as organic.

  33. How do farmers and handlers become certified? Submit to an accredited certifying agent: The type of operation to be certified; A history of substances applied to land for the previous 3 years; The organic products being grown, raised, or processed; The organic system plan (OSP) – a plan describing practices and substances used in production.

  34. UK • http://www2.ca.uky.edu/sustainableag/ • First Friday Breakfast Forum at ES Good Barn

  35. KDA Organic program • http://www.kyagr.com/marketing/plantmktg/organic/index.htm • Michael.Fitzgerald@ky.gov

  36. OAK • http://oak-ky.org/resources.shtml

  37. KYSU • http://organic.kysu.edu/index.shtml

  38. USDA • http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop

  39. Rodale Institute • http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/

  40. Southern Sustainable Ag Working Group • http://www.ssawg.org/ • Most known for their conference • January 18-21, 2012 • The Peabody Hotel Little RockLittle Rock, Arkansas

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