A Quick Update from DC re Pasture Rule

By Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director

April 25, 2008: The access to pasture rule has left the USDA Office of Budget and Program Analysis and has now two "quick stops" at the USDA Civil Rights office and the USDA Chief Economist office. The same source says it might leave the USDA building by the end of next week and head over to the Executive Office of Management and Budget Natural Resource Division, Agricultural Branch, for its review.

This happened as a result of a meeting between Kelly Shea (Horizon Organic), Steve Etka (National Organic Coalition); Ed Maltby of NODPA; Bruce Knight (Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs);  J. Burton Eller, Jr. (Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs); David Shipman (Associate Administrator for AMS); and Richard Mathews (NOP). The group of us met for 45 minutes to discuss the clarification of the access to pasture rule and the proposed origin of livestock and cloning rule.

We were able to provide a unique presentation to the Under Secretary of all sides of the industry (processors, farmers and non-profits) with a unified position on the two priorities for the organic community, the immediate publication of the access to pasture rule and the publication of a rule (rather than an ANPR) for the origin of livestock and cloning. The Under Secretary confirmed that the publication of the access to pasture rule and the origin of livestock were priorities for him and the department.

Reassurances from NOP

NOP assured us that the proposed access to pasture rule will clearly define the requirements that producers have to meet and will be a strong rule that protects the integrity of the Organic Seal. We discussed the need for the two rules to be published quickly in order to create a level playing field by having a clear definition of the minimum requirements for grazing and one easily understood rule for organic dairy replacements, rather than the many confusing criteria we have now.

Bruce Knight was concerned about how farmers were being affected by the lack of clarity in the rule making and the ongoing effect on the integrity of the organic seal. We explained the very real financial hardship that farmers are suffering and the need to show the consumer that the organic seal is strong and will be defended. We all agreed that the future of organics rests with a transparent system at the regulatory level which the NOP is now implementing with their new website and continued meetings to work together on moving issues forward that are critical to the future integrity of organic dairy.