PCC Advocates for Stronger Organic Regulations

October 5, 2020

PCC submitted comments on the National Organic Program’s (NOP) Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) proposed rule, aimed at addressing the issue of organic fraud and improving the integrity of the organic supply chain.

The SOE proposed rule would update and modernize the organic regulations to reduce opportunities for fraud and improve oversight and enforcement in the organic supply chain. The rule would implement the most significant changes since the publication of the original federal organic regulations in 2000.

In addition to providing our own comments, PCC also contributed and signed on — as a full member — to the extensive comments submitted by the National Organic Coalition (NOC). Read NOC’s SOE Comments.

Overall, PCC supports the objectives of the SOE to provide better clarity and systems to prevent fraud in the organic supply chain. However, as a certified organic retailers PCC also made several recommendations on how the SOE rule could strengthen organic integrity even more, including reducing the amount of exempted operations, broadening to scope of the “handle” and “handling” definitions to include more entities, shortening the time frame allowed for submission of import certificates, and requiring labeling on more types of storage and transport containers.

Read PCC’s full comments on the SOE rule here.

Related reading

Reinstate 100% organic feed requirement

Thank you to several U.S. representatives; re: supporting the Farr-Kind bill, HR. 955, to reinstate the 100 percent organic feed requirement in the National Organic Standards.

Support for USDA Relief Aid to BIPOC Farmers

PCC signed on to a letter from the Rural Coalition/Coalición Rural opposing a court restraining order that prevents the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from providing financial assistance to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers.

Opposition to Streamlining WA State Biosolids Permitting

PCC submitted a letter to the Washington State Department of Ecology opposing a proposal to streamline the permitting process for biosolid applications.

PCC Advocates for Stronger Organic Regulations

October 5, 2020

PCC submitted comments on the National Organic Program’s (NOP) Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) proposed rule, aimed at addressing the issue of organic fraud and improving the integrity of the organic supply chain.

The SOE proposed rule would update and modernize the organic regulations to reduce opportunities for fraud and improve oversight and enforcement in the organic supply chain. The rule would implement the most significant changes since the publication of the original federal organic regulations in 2000.

In addition to providing our own comments, PCC also contributed and signed on — as a full member — to the extensive comments submitted by the National Organic Coalition (NOC). Read NOC’s SOE Comments.

Overall, PCC supports the objectives of the SOE to provide better clarity and systems to prevent fraud in the organic supply chain. However, as a certified organic retailers PCC also made several recommendations on how the SOE rule could strengthen organic integrity even more, including reducing the amount of exempted operations, broadening to scope of the “handle” and “handling” definitions to include more entities, shortening the time frame allowed for submission of import certificates, and requiring labeling on more types of storage and transport containers.

Read PCC’s full comments on the SOE rule here.

Related reading

Supporting BIOAg Program at WSU

Thank you to Representative Kelli Linville; re: support for the BIOAg Program at WSU, and for strong leadership in the 2005 legislative session to secure funds for the program.

Continued Support for Justice for Black Farmers Act

As members of both National Co+op Grocers and the National Organic Coalition, PCC endorsed the Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2021, introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12).

PCC comments for organic integrity

Comments on use of fracking waste "produced" water in organic crop systems; celery powder; potassium phosphate; sodium phosphate; magnesium carbonate; NOP NOSB relations.