PCC Spring 2019 Comments to NOSB

April 4, 2019

PCC submitted written comments for the spring 2019 meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) advisory committee to the National Organic Program (NOP), which took place in Seattle, Washington.

Each year the NOP holds two open meetings of the NOSB, giving the public an opportunity to learn about the NOSB’s work and recommendations. These meetings also are a platform for individuals to voice their opinions on issues concerning the organic program through written comments and oral testimony.

As a certified organic grocer that places a priority on organics, we are accountable to our shoppers and 66,000 active member-owners to advocate for organic integrity. As a part of this advocacy, we not only developed our own comments, but contributed to and signed-on to the National Organic Coalition (NOC) Comments.

PCC’s comments addressed a variety of topics including confusion over origin of livestock rules, hydroponics in organics, animal welfare, organic fraud, certifier alignment, fracking on farms and toxic chemicals in food packaging. PCC encouraged the NOSB to strengthen regulations to ensure consistency in rule interpretations, certification standards and production practices.

Read the full text of PCC’s Spring 2019 NOSB Comments.