Demystifying the National Organic Standards Board

What it is, how it works, and how it impacts your farm.

Organic producers and processors must follow strict standards to become organically certified. Who decides what is and is not allowed on organic farms and in organic processing facilities? Not your certifier! Rather, it’s the USDA National Organic Program, in consultation with the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).

On Tuesday, January 30, 2024, NOC, in partnership with the Organic Farming Research Foundation and Organic Farmers Association*, hosted a virtual meeting for organic and transitioning farmers, where a panel of farmers and advocates demystified the NOSB. Panelists explained the role of the NOSB in shaping organic standards and allowed materials, the process the Board uses to make decisions, and explained how written and oral comments can make a difference in Board decisions.

Your input matters

The NOSB makes decisions that determine what you can and can’t do on your farm - panelists explained how to provide input to the Board in a meaningful way and shared ideas about how to lift up farmer voices in the NOSB process. 

Farmers can:

  • Give oral and written comments to the NOSB. The NOSB will hear oral comments from the organic community this spring in connection with the Milwaukee NOSB Meeting, but farmers do not have to attend in person to comment! You can give comments by webinar on April 23 and April 25. Farmers can submit written comments via the federal register. Learn more here.

  • Attend the National Organic Coalition’s ‘Pre-NOSB’ Meeting in Milwaukee on April 28. We encourage all organic community members to attend!


    Farmers and organic community members who want to keep informed about the NOSB process and upcoming meetings should:

    • Visit the USDA website landing page for the National Organic Standards Board, which has information about upcoming public meetings, who serves on the Board, notes from NOSB subcommittee meetings, and more! NOSB meetings happen two times each year (typically April and October) in different locations.

    • Sign up to receive the USDA’s ‘Organic Insider’ newsletter.

    • Sign up to receive enews from the National Organic Coalition - we send out two newsletters by email each month.

Panelists

Thank you to the wonderful panelists who shared their experience, insights, and takeaways from working on the NOSB.

  • Steve Ela, Former NOSB Chair, NOC NOSB Specialist, Organic Producer at Ela Family Farms

  • Harriet Behar, Former NOSB Chair, NOC Advisor, OFA Farmer Services Consultant, and Organic Producer at Sweet Springs Farm

  • Amy Bruch, Current NOSB Vice Chair and Organic Producer at Cyclone Farms

We also extend our gratitude to Jesse Buie, who shared his experience and insight about serving on the NOSB during the meeting.

Webinar Recording and Slides

The full meeting recording is available here, and the slides here.

Summary

A few key takeaways include:

  • The United States organic standards are managed by USDA and specifically the National Organic Program (“NOP”).

  • The National Organic Standards Board is an “External Advisory Committee” that provides recommendations to USDA.

  • Organic standards include both practice standards, and materials.

  • The National List portion of the USDA organic regulations outlines what synthetic materials may be used in organic production and handling, after practice standards have failed. It is organized according to three scopes: crop, livestock, and handling (processing).

  • The NOSB:

    • Reviews and votes to add materials to the National List. Materials are reviewed every five years to see if they should continue to stay on the list.

    • Reviews and gives recommendations to the NOP regarding practice standards.

    • Is made of 15 members composed of farmers, retailers, public interest and consumer interest, handlers/processors, environmental protection and resource conservation, scientist, and certifier.

  • NOSB Oral and Written comments are a great way for organic community members to voice their opinions on materials and/or practice standards, and are a forum to encourage the NOSB to work on specific issues.

  • Having farmers testify gives the Board insight into specific needs.

  • The NOSB must use 7 criteria when evaluating substances for inclusion on the National List.

  • Effective comments:

    • Are short and to the point

    • Include a personal story

    • Are prepared and informed

  • There is no need to be nervous about giving comments the the NOSB!

*This session was supported through the United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP). 

Steve Ela, NOC NOSB Specialist, Introducing the Panelists during “Demystifying the NOSB” meeting on January 30, 2024.

Alice Runde