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Exotic Wildlife Association Membership Alert: Changes to Standards for Livestock Production

Recently the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) published a proposed change to the organic standards for livestock production.  Commissioner Staples wants to ensure you are aware of the proposed modifications.
 
Comments from farmers, ranchers and other businesses directly affected by the regulation are essential to help USDA fine-tune the proposal to avoid unintended adverse impacts on the organic livestock industry.  USDA is seeking feedback from organic beef producers, because little information was received from this segment of the organic industry during the drafting of the proposed rule. 
 
Most of the input USDA received came from small dairy producers in the Northeast and Midwest.  Conditions and farming practices in those parts of the country are very different from Texas production and climate.  Even within Texas, climatic conditions vary widely.  It is imperative the organic standards allow for flexibility and avoid excluding the needs of large regions of the country.  Current regulations allow finishing of organic slaughter stock with organic grain and organic hay, and the National Organic Standards Board has recommended allowing confinement of organic slaughter stock up to 120 days for finishing.  The proposed rule would prohibit these and other current practices used in organic production.
 
Below is a two-page summary of the changes USDA has proposed.  The complete text of the proposed rule is available on the NOP website (www.ams.usda.gov/nop) under "Today's News" for Oct. 24, 2008.  Instructions for submitting comments to USDA about this proposal are also included in the Federal Register notice.  All comments must be received by USDA before Dec. 23, 2008.
 
 
Catherine Wright Steele
Governmental Affairs Liaison
Texas Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 12847
Austin, Texas 78711
 
(512) 463-7700
catherine.wright-steele@tda.state.tx.us
 
 
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO ORGANIC LIVESTOCK STANDARDS
Federal Register, Volume 73, No. 207, Friday, October 24, 2008
 
The USDA National Organic Program has proposed the following changes to the organic livestock production standards.  Comments on this proposed rule must be received by USDA no later than December 23, 2008.
 
Pasture requirement for ALL RUMINANTS:
1)      Access to pasture/grazing may not be denied during the growing season except for illness/injury, one week before and after birthing, newborns for up to six months,  inclement weather (only applies to goats), shearing (only applies to sheep) and short periods daily for milking dairy animals. 
2)      Organic ruminants must, on average, obtain at least 30% of their dry matter intake (DMI) from pasture (standing forage) during the growing season.  To demonstrate compliance, livestock producers must, on a monthly basis:
a.       Document each feed ration for each type (beef cattle, dairy cattle, goats, sheep) and class (calf, dry cow, lactating cow, growing cattle, etc.) of animal.  Documentation must include a listing of each ingredient, with pounds, percentage of ration and amount of dry matter (pounds and percentage) for each ingredient.
b.      Calculate the daily dry matter demand of each type and class of animal using a prescribed formula (Avg. Wt. x 0.03 x Number of Animals = DM Demand), document the amount of dry matter fed daily (does not include grazing) to each class of animal, and calculate the percentage of dry matter fed daily.  The average amount of dry matter fed must not exceed 70% during the growing season.  Growing season is defined as from the last killing frost in the spring to the first killing frost in the fall.
3)      Organic ruminants must have year-round access to the outdoors and pasture, including during the non-growing season.
4)      Dry lots and feedlots are prohibited for organic livestock.  Confined finishing of slaughter stock would no longer be allowed in organic production.
 
Other requirements for ruminants:
1)      When confined for any reason other than milking, ruminants must be provided with a lying area with clean, dry bedding.
2)      Yards and passageways must be well-drained and kept in good condition.
3)      Shade must be available, and for goats a shelter open on at least one side.
4)      Water at all times, except short periods for milking or shearing.
5)      Feeding and watering equipment designed to prevent fouling.
6)      Must clean feeding and watering equipment weekly.
7)      Newborns provided hay in a rack off the ground 7 days after birth, or pastured.
 
Water quality management:
1)      Fences or buffer zones must be used to prevent ruminants and their waste products from entering ponds, streams and other bodies of water.
 
Dairy operations - Clarifies "two-track" system for dairy replacement animals:
1)      If a dairy started out by using the "80/20" feed provision or by using 3rd-year transitional feed or pasture during the 12-month transition, all replacements must be organic from the last third of gestation.
2)      If a dairy started with 100% organic feed for 12 months, or purchased organic animals to establish the herd, replacements from any source can be added to the herd after 12 months on organic feed/pasture and organic management.
 
Pasture management:
1)      Pasture must be managed as a crop.
2)      Requires more detailed information about active pasture management in the organic farm plan, including crops to be grown; cultural practices used to ensure pasture availability throughout the growing season; the haymaking system; detailed maps             identifying fields, fences, location and source of shade and water; soil fertility, seeding and crop rotation systems; pest, weed and disease control practices; erosion control; protection of natural wetlands and riparian areas; pasture and soil sustainability practices and practices used to restore pastures.
3)      The pasture system must include a "sacrificial pasture" with specified attributes that is sufficient in size to hold the entire herd without crowding to protect other pastures from damage when soil is saturated.
 
Definition changes and additions:
1)      Crop - adds pasture, sod, cover crops, green manure crops, and catch crops to the definition of a crop.
2)      Dry matter - new
3)      Dry lot - new
4)      Feedlot - new
5)      Graze - new
6)      Growing season - new
7)      Inclement weather - new
8)      Killing frost - new
9)      Livestock - adds bees and fish used for food to the definition of livestock.
10)    Sacrificial pasture - new
11)    Temporary/temporarily - new