Support for Continuous Improvement in Organic

April 30, 2021

PCC has publicly endorsed the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards (CIAO) Act, developed by the Organic Trade Association in collaboration with members of congress.

The CIAO Act calls on USDA to create an action plan for clearing the backlog of National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) recommendations and a system of accountability and transparency for ensuring that future NOSB recommendations are prioritized. This is important because there has been a long history of the USDA stalling or delaying implementation of NOSB recommendations and rules. For example, the organic community and the NOSB have been pushing the USDA for 18 years now to implement rules crucial to the economic vitality of small organic dairies, known as the Origin of Livestock rule.

Read more about the CIAO Act here.

Related reading

No Genetic Engineering in Organics

PCC joined the Organic Farmers Association (OFA) in a letter to Secretary Sonny Perdue, expressing solidarity against any potential discussion of incorporating genetic engineering into organic production.

Letter to Rep. Nethercutt: BiOAg program at WSU

Thank you to Rep. George Nethercutt; re: efforts to secure funding for the Organic and Biologically Intensive and Organic Agriculture (BiOAg) program at WSU.

Funding for the Soil Health Initiative

PCC submitted a letter to the Washington State legislators to request that the Soil Health Initiative, passed in 2020, receive its full funding allocation during the 2021-2023 biennial operating budget.