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National Organic Program (NOP) –Access to Pasture (Livestock)
07 Apr. 20:33
Pasture RulemakingThe NOP has issued a final rule to provide greater detail to the NOP livestock regulations,
especially as they relate to pasture and ruminant animals.
7 CFR Part 205- Final rule with request for comments
Summary
•Reassure consumers that organic milk and meat comes from organically-raised animals that are actively grazing on pasture during the grazing season.
•The measureswithin this rule will allow NOP to efficiently administer and enforce the integrity of the organic seal with regards to livestock feed and living conditions
•Clarity and specificity to the livestock feed and living conditions provisions.
•Establishes a pasture practice standard for ruminant animals.–Recognize pasture as a crop
Producers must:
1.Provide year-round access for all animals to the outdoors ,
2.Establish a functioning management plan for pasture,
3.Incorporate the pasture management plan into their organic system plan (OSP),
4.Provide ruminants with pasture throughout the grazing season for their geographical location,
5.Ensure ruminants derive not less than an average of 30 percent of their dry matter intake (DMI) requirement from pasture grazed over the course of the grazing season (at least120 days).
Effective Dates
•This rule becomes effective June 17, 2010.
•Will be fully implemented June 17, 2011.
•Operations which obtain organic certification by June 17, 2010 must comply with this final rule.
•Operations which are certified as of February 17, 2010 must fully implement the provisions of this final rule, as applicable, June 17, 2011.
More Details: The following links will take you to key documents relevant to this rulemaking.
