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1 1 (March 13, 2018)

handle is hein.crs/govcfuu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FF.ri E.$~ & Updated March 13, 2018 USDA's Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Regulations On January 19, 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a final rule regarding Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP). The Obama Administration rule amended National Organic Program (NOP) regulations for USDA-certified organic livestock and poultry practices. It addressed four broad areas of organic livestock and poultry practices: living conditions, animal health care, transport, and slaughter. While some in Congress and in the organic foods industry generally supported these new requirements, others in Congress and in the poultry industry opposed the rule, especially its animal welfare provisions. On February 9, USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced a delay in the effective date of the final rule, which was followed by a series of additional extensions effectively delaying implementation of the rule. This action provided the Trump Administration time to review the rule and decide whether to proceed with the rulemaking begun under the Obama Administration. Effective May 13, 2018, USDA announced in the Federal Register that it was withdrawing the OLPP rule based on its assessment that the OLPP final rule would exceed USDA's statutory authority and also its revised assessment of the OLPP rule's costs and benefits. NOP is a voluntary organic certification program administered by USDA for producers and handlers of agricultural products who use certain approved organic methods codified in regulation under USDA's oversight. Organic production refers to a production system that is managed in accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) and USDA regulations intended to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity (7 C.F.R. 205). Producers, processors, and handlers who wish to market their products as organic must follow production practices spelled out in regulation. USDA-approved organic standards address the methods, practices, and substances used in producing and handling crops, livestock, and processed agricultural products. They also describe the types of approved methods farmers and ranchers may use to grow crops and raise farm animals and the types of materials used in production. These standards must be verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent before products can legally be labeled USDA Organic. Under the program, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is a 15-member advisory board that makes recommendations to USDA on a range of organic production issues as authorized under OFPA. NOSB thus assists in the development and maintenance of organic standards and regulations. However, USDA retains primary responsibility for setting regulatory standards as well as for compliance, enforcement, and auditor accreditation. Summary of 2017 OLPP Final Rule Provisions USDA's NOP regulation broadly addressed care and production practices, transport, slaughter, and living conditions for organic livestock and poultry. Accordingly, the 2017 OLPP final rule: I. Clarified how producers/handlers participating in the NOP must treat livestock and poultry to ensure their well-being. 2. Clarified when and how certain physical alterations may be performed on organic livestock and poultry to minimize stress. Prohibited some forms of physical alterations. 3. Set maximum indoor and outdoor stocking densities for organic chickens, which would vary depending on the type of production and stage of life. 4. Defined outdoor space and required that outdoor spaces for organic poultry include soil and vegetation. 5. Added new requirements for transporting organic livestock and poultry to sale or slaughter. 6. Clarified the application of USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) requirements regarding the handling of livestock and poultry slaughtered at certified organic livestock and poultry establishments. Also provided for the enforcement of USDA organic regulations based on FSIS inspection findings. 7. Established indoor space requirements for chickens. Provided that AMS could propose space requirements for other avian species in the future in addition to required other indoor requirements (e.g., exit doors, ammonia levels, lighting). Source: 72 Federal Register 7042, January 19, 2017. Foods certified by USDA as organic account for a small but growing share of the U.S. agricultural industry. Retail sales of organic foods in the United States totaled nearly $40 billion in 2015 (not including non-food products), or about 5% of total food sales. There are roughly 14,000 certified or exempt organic farms in the United States (2014 data). (Exempt farms have less than $5,000 in gross annual sales.) Organic livestock and poultry products account for about 3% of total organic retail food sales. At the time of the original rulemaking, USDA reported that organic egg sales totaled $514 million, or about 10% of all U.S. retail sales (organic and nonorganic). Organic poultry meat sales totaled $453 million, or less than 1% of U.S. retail broiler meat sales. There were 1,065 organic and exempt egg laying operations and 309 organic broiler farms. Precise data were not available for organic beef and pork meats but likely comprised a much smaller share of total organic and total market sales. There were 748 certified and exempt organic beef farms and 239 organic hog farms (2014 data). - , gnom goo , q 'S SL IN 11LULANJILiN,

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