Fall 2022 Comments to NOSB

September 29, 2022

PCC submitted written comments for the fall 2022 meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) advisory committee to the National Organic Program (NOP).

Each year the NOP holds two open meetings of the NOSB, giving the public an opportunity to learn about the NOSB’s analysis and recommendations. These meetings also are a platform for individuals to share information, perspectives, and input on issues concerning the organic program.

Due to the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings were held virtually for two years. The fall 2022 meeting was the first in-person meeting since the pandemic started and was held in Sacramento, California.

As a certified organic grocer that places a priority on organics, we are accountable to our shoppers and more than 90,000 active member-owners to advocate for organic integrity. As part of this advocacy, we not only submitted our own comments, but contributed and signed on—as a full member—to the extensive comments submitted by the National Organic Coalition (NOC). Read NOC’s fall 2022 NOSB Comments collection on their website.

PCC’s comments focused on our opposition to relisting of sodium phosphate due to the health concerns and available alternatives; we also took the opportunity to encourage the NOSB to think critically about the allowance of phosphates in organic in general. PCC also stressed, yet again, the importance of leveraging organic as a leader in climate resilience and the need for identifying and developing recommendations to strengthen organic practices for climate mitigation, adaptation, and carbon sequestration.

Read the full text of PCC’s fall 2022 NOSB Comments here.