Comments Due Sept. 30
OSA Advocacy Director Cathleen McCluskey delivering oral comments to NOSB in 2019.
Portland, OR (September 23, 2024) - The Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) hopes that you’ll join them in Portland, OR, for the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) fall meeting on October 22 – 24.
The Board has released a discussion document on consistency in organic seed usage (see p. 147), inviting public comments about organic seed usage in the National Organic Program. Board members want to understand the “current state of organic seed use, potential tools for increasing the amount and variety of organic seed that is commercially available, and methods for strengthening enforcement of the existing commercial availability requirements.”
If you are a seed producer, representative of a company selling organic seed, grower using organic seed, plant breeder developing varieties for organic systems, organic certifier, or organic seed policy specialist, OSA says to consider submitting a comment. The due date to submit comments is September 30.
Detailed meeting information, including agendas, locations, proposals, and how to submit public comments can be found on the NOSB meetings page.
The NOSB convenes public meetings twice a year to discuss and vote on proposals that aim to improve and clarify the organic regulations. Whether you can make it to Portland or not, OSA encourages you to submit written comments to the Board.
National Organic Coalition Pre-NOSB Meeting on October 21
The National Organic Coalition (NOC) is hosting the Fall 2024 Pre-NOSB Meeting, in Portland, OR, on Monday, October 21.
The Pre-NOSB Meeting takes place in advance of the National Organic Standards Board meeting each spring and fall. This meeting provides a space for information-sharing and dialogue and is open to all organic community members.
The meeting will include:
- A panel of local organic farmers discussing regional challenges and opportunities.
- A Q&A session with Dr. Jenny Tucker from the USDA National Organic Program.
- A panel of local experts to consider how to increase organic seed usage.
- An DC update and discussion about advancing organic in the ongoing Farm Bill negotiations and after the election.
- An update about topics under consideration by the National Organic Standards Board at the fall meeting.
- And more.
Register for the Pre-NOSB meeting by October 17.