USDA Considering Tougher Organic Livestock Rules

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the Biden Administration will reconsider the Trump Administration’s interpretation of the Organic Foods Production Act. The Trump administration said the Act doesn’t authorize USDA to regulate the practices that were the subject under the 2017 Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices final rule. “I have directed the National Organic Program to begin a rulemaking to address this statutory interpretation and to include a proposal to disallow the use of porches as outdoor space in organic poultry production over time,” Vilsack says. “The rulemaking will also include other topics that were the subject of the OLPP final rule.” The secretary also says they anticipate sending the proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget within six to nine months from the date of the remand. “We look forward to receiving public comments on those topics and, after reviewing those comments, USDA will publish a final rule,” he adds.