OIA North America

AMS No. 239-10

Soo Kim (202) 720-7476

Soo.kim@ams.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2010—The National Organic Program (NOP) today published a final rule amending the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances for crops and processing.

The rule, effective tomorrow December 14, 2010, enacts six recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) from November 30, 2007, and May 22, 2008:

• Adds aqueous potassium silicate, along with any restrictive annotations, for use as an insecticide and for plant disease control in organic crop production. Potassium silicate is manufactured by fusing naturally occurring compounds (silica sand and potassium carbonate) and can be used for agricultural crops, nuts, fruits, vines, turf and ornamentals. The substance can reduce crop damage from mites, whiteflies and other insects, powdery mildew, botrytis, and root diseases.

• Adds sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, along with any restrictive annotations, for use as an algaecide in organic crop production. Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate is manufactured via a dry, wet or spray process from sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate can be used in aquaculture, rice/wild rice fields and paddies, and commercial greenhouses, nurseries and garden centers.

• Adds gellan gum, along with any restrictive annotations, as a nonsynthetic allowed for use in organic handling. Gellan gum functions as a thickening agent to produce texture in a range of products such as bakery fillings, puddings, and sauces. It is a water soluble, off-white powder that forms gels in the presence of positively charged ions, and its thickness can be manipulated for specific functions by the addition of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and/or sodium salts.

• Adds fortified cooking wine – Marsala, and cooking wine – sherry, along with any restrictive annotations, for use in organic handling as a nonorganic agricultural ingredient only when not commercially available in organic form. Both fortified cooking wines are ingredients that impart a unique flavor to a variety of foods such as soups and entrees. Marsala is produced by adding yeast to the juice of crushed and press grapes. Sherry is produced by adding spirits after fermentation. Both wines become non-beverage, cooking wines with the addition of salt.

• Adds tragacanth gum, along with any restrictive annotations, for use in organic handling as a nonorganic agricultural ingredient only when not commercially available in organic form. Tragacanth gum provides texture, viscosity, and emulsion stability in foods such as salad dressings and sauces. It is harvested from the stems and branches of Astragalus gummifer Labillardiere and other Asiatic species of Astragalus (Fam. Leguminosae) in the desert and arid areas of the Middle East. The dried gum is cleaned, mechanically cut, dissolved in water and filtered before it is used in food processing.

The rule also removes glycerine oleate (glycerol monooleate) as a synthetic inert ingredient allowed in organic crop production since its exemption to be used expired on Dec. 31, 2006. Removal of this substance does not have a new regulatory effect.

The National List identifies synthetic substances that may be used (7 CFR 205.601 and 205.603) and nonsynthetic (natural) substances that may not be used (§§205.602 and 205.604) in organic production. It also specifies nonagricultural (nonorganic) substances that may be used in processed organic products (§205.605) and nonorganically produced agricultural products that may be used in processed organic products (§205.606). Since established, the National List has been amended thirteen times.

The NOSB evaluates substances petitioned for inclusion or deletion from the National List through the petition process implemented under §205.607 of the NOP regulations. The Secretary can amend the National List based on recommendations by the NOSB under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.