Tag: organic
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NOP Drafts Guidance for Calculating Percentage of Organic Ingredients
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP) has proposed guidance “for calculating the percentage of organic ingredients in multi-ingredient products.” Intended for accredited certifying agents and handling operations, the draft guidance responds to a National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) request for correction and clarification of the requirements codified at 7 CFR 205.302(a), which…
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NOSB Opts to Remove Carrageenan from List of Substances Allowed in Organic Products
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has reportedly voted 10-3, with one abstention, to remove carrageenan from the national list of substances allowed in organic processing and handling. Held November 16-18, 2016, in St. Louis, Missouri, the NOSB’s semi-annual meeting included a review of carrageenan on the National List of Allowed…
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Organic Groups Target “100% Pure” Sioux Honey for Glyphosate
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) and Beyond Pesticides have filed a complaint against the Sioux Honey Association alleging the company’s Sue Bee® honey products contain the herbicide glyphosate despite being marketed as “Pure” and “Natural.” Organic Consumers Assoc. v. Sioux Honey Assoc. Coop., No. 008012 (D.C. Super. Ct., filed November 1, 2016). The complaint acknowledges…
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Cornucopia Institute Asks USDA to Investigate Hydroponic Produce Organic Certification
The Cornucopia Institute has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture “requesting an investigation into the organic certification of hydroponic operations in the U.S. that appear to conflict with the statutory language of the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990 and current federal regulations governing organic food production.” The organization argues that…
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U.S. and Mexico Announce Organic Trade Partnership
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the National Service for Animal and Plant Health, Food Safety and Quality of Mexico (SENASICA) have announced a joint Organic Compliance Committee to “ensure the integrity of organic products trade between the United States and Mexico.” With implementation of Mexico’s organic regulations slated for 2017,…
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FSIS Clarifies Guidelines on Substantiating Animal Raising Claims
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has updated its guidelines on the documentation needed to support animal-raising labeling claims, which include “Raised Without Antibiotics,” “Organic,” “Grass-Fed,” “Free-Range” and “Raised with the use of hormones.” Among other things, the agency requires the following information to support such claims: (i) “a detailed…
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Cruz-Alvarez and Rameshwar Detail Dismissal of Challenge to Abbott Labs’ Organic Infant Formula
Shook Partner Frank Cruz-Alvarez and Associate Ravika Rameshwar have authored an article for the Washington Legal Foundation’s Legal Pulse discussing a New York federal court’s dismissal of a class action centered on infant formula marketed as organic. The complaint alleged that Abbott Laboratories, Inc. represented its Similac® Advance® as organic despite containing ingredients prohibited in…
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Challenge to Organic Sunset Provision to Proceed
A California federal court has denied the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by several activist groups challenging aspects of the Organic Food Production Act’s sunset provision, which governs when substances are removed from the National List. Ctr. for Food Safety v. Vilsack, No. 15-1590 (N.D. Cal., order entered September…