USDA withdraws animal welfare rule
"We will continue our fight in the court".
New rules, decades in the making, that would have required organic meat and egg producers to abide by stricter animal welfare standards were withdrawn by the federal government on Monday, frustrating organic farmers and animal welfare groups but leaving some traditional egg and livestock farm groups rejoicing.
"The existing robust organic livestock and poultry regulations are effective", said USDA Marketing and Regulatory Program Undersecretary Greg Ibach. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 9,500 organic businesses across 50 states. In September, it filed a lawsuit against USDA alleging the agency violated the Organic Food Production Act by delaying the rule's effective date. A regulatory freeze by incoming President Trump pushed implementation back to May 19, 2017. In July 2016, Chairman Roberts led a bipartisan coalition of Senators in sending a second letter to the USDA requesting additional information on producers' concerns over the rule.
"This most recent egregious attempt by the department to ignore the will of the organic industry and consumers does not halt our judicial review, but, in fact, furthers our resolve", said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association.
The USDA's move will exacerbate consumer confusion about the meaning of the organic label, and it will, ultimately, negatively impact family organic producers who adhere to strict, voluntary organic standards, according to the National Farmers Union (NFU).
What does the Organic Livestock Rule do?
The retail market for organic food products was valued at $47 billion in the United States in 2016, and USDA said the number of certified organic operations increased domestically by 7 percent previous year.
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National Cattlemen's Beef Association called USDA's decision a common-sense victory.
The USDA's Agricultural Marketing agency, which runs the National Organic Program responsible for the "certified organic" labels, does not have the legislative authority to regulate all aspects of animal care within the organic program, the department's marketing branch said in withdrawing the rule.
In comments to USDA in January, National Milk Producers Federation said a fundamental problem with the rule is that it is driven more by economics and consumer perception rather than animal science and welfare.
Thicke said a group of organic farmers in the US have created their own label, the Real Organic Project, and hope to have pilot farms certified this summer with eventual rollout nationally.
Media Release (03/13/2018) WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture failed to uphold organic integrity and announced the withdrawal of a new rule improving the living conditions for animals on certified organic farms. Changes to the existing organic regulations, USDA said, could have a negative effect on real costs for producers and consumers.
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