Following a review by the Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) yesterday announced the final National Organic Program rule on Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices. The final rule will be published today in the Federal Register and can be viewed at www.regulations.gov or on the AMS website.
The proposed rule, published in April of 2016, sought to define the practices accepted by the National Organic Program for raising livestock and poultry. The proposed rule received significant attention during its public comment period from agricultural and consumer groups, as well as from the general public, with over six thousand comments received.
Livestock and poultry groups, including the National Chicken Council, expressed concern over unintended threats to biosecurity and animal health that would result from implementation of the proposed practices. As global outbreaks of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza continue to rise, questions have been raised as to how the rule would protect U.S. poultry from a disease introduction, and whether organic farmers would be allowed to bring their birds inside as a precaution. With the significant number of comments received, it remains to be seen what changes have been made to the proposed rule, and what lies ahead for organic livestock and poultry farmers.
The AMS press release is available here. A link to the National Chicken Council’s comments on the rule may be found here.
