Support for Continuous Improvement in Organic

April 30, 2021

PCC has publicly endorsed the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards (CIAO) Act, developed by the Organic Trade Association in collaboration with members of congress.

The CIAO Act calls on USDA to create an action plan for clearing the backlog of National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) recommendations and a system of accountability and transparency for ensuring that future NOSB recommendations are prioritized. This is important because there has been a long history of the USDA stalling or delaying implementation of NOSB recommendations and rules. For example, the organic community and the NOSB have been pushing the USDA for 18 years now to implement rules crucial to the economic vitality of small organic dairies, known as the Origin of Livestock rule.

Read more about the CIAO Act here.

Related reading

Conservation, COOL & Farm to Cafeteria support

Letter urges U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to support these programs.

Reinstate 100% organic feed requirement

Thank you to several U.S. representatives; re: supporting the Farr-Kind bill, HR. 955, to reinstate the 100 percent organic feed requirement in the National Organic Standards.

Support for USDA Relief Aid to BIPOC Farmers

PCC signed on to a letter from the Rural Coalition/Coalición Rural opposing a court restraining order that prevents the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from providing financial assistance to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers.