USDA Publishes
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

Inert
Ingredients in Pesticides for Organic Production

Today, the
USDA National Organic Program previewed an advance notice of proposed
rulemaking (ANPR) that asks the public to comment on options
to update how the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
(National List) references inert ingredients in pesticides allowed for
organic production. The National List currently uses Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) inert ingredient lists, but these lists are no
longer maintained by EPA and are out of date.

USDA is
asking the public to comment on options
to revise the National List, including several derived from NOSB
recommendations. USDA will use feedback
gathered from public comment to inform any future
rulemaking about inert ingredients in pesticides.

The public
comment period opens today and closes
on November 1, 2022. Be part of the policymaking
process and make
your voice heard—click on the link below to read the
ANPR and submit a comment.

Read and Comment on
the ANPR

About the
National List

The
National List is a tool for managing the substances used in organic
production. In general, natural substances are allowed in organic
production, and synthetic substances are prohibited. The National List
identifies the limited exceptions to these general rules. Changes to
the National List require a National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)
recommendation and USDA rulemaking, a process that provides multiple
opportunities for public comment.

More
information on the National List, including how and why substances are
added or removed from it, is available on the USDA,
National Organic Program, National List webpage.