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NOON to 6:30 pm,
Washington, DC -- POST LUNCH
(snacks will be provided)
please RSVP!
Sponsored
by National Organic Coalition and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is meeting Monday May 4
through Wednesday May 6, 2009, so we will once again hold our pre-NOSB
meeting on the day before -- Sunday, May 3.
Location: WASHINGTON
PLAZA HOTEL
(same hotel as NOSB meeting)
10 Thomas Circle, Washington DC 20005
202-842-1300
I.
Farm Bill Implementation Update
II.
2010 Appropriations
III.
"Pasture" Rule and Origin of Livestock Rule??
IV.
NOSB ISSUES:
Aquaculture bivalves
Retail
Certification and ICS
Personal
Care products
Biodiversity
Issues
Organic
Seeds Requirement
Definitions
of Ag/NonAg; Synthetic/Non-Synthetic
Nanotech
Materials
NOSB 2010
nominations
V. SCS label update
VI. NOAP Update
VII. Food Safety
Take Action Today to Support Organic Biodiversity Conservation --
See Alert below
** In order to make sure there are enough chairs,
Please RSVP to: Liana Hoodes ([log in to unmask]) **
For Hotel Rooms:
The Washington
Plaza Hotel
Washington, DC
20005
202-842-1300
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From the Wild Farm Alliance: www.wildfarmallliance.org
Take
Action Today to Support Organic Biodiversity Conservation
Send comments to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) before
Monday April 20, 2009 to let them know that you support biodiversity
conservation within organic agriculture.
Use text from the sample letter or submit your own comments via this
website:
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=AMS-TM-09-0014
Once there, look for the "Notice of Meeting of the NOSB" under
the dark blue bar and click the image beneath "Add
Comments."
For further information, read the discussion on recommendations for
strengthening biodiversity conservation within organics written by joint
committees of the National Organic Standards Board:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5075826&acct=nosb
Sample
Letter
----Your Letterhead----
<Date>
Jeff Moyer
Chairman of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)
Re: Implementation of Biodiversity Conservation in Organic
Agriculture Systems
Dear Chairman Moyer,
<Your Organization> is writing to encourage the NOSB
to adopt recommendations that will address biodiversity conservation
within the National Organic Program (NOP) rule. Maintaining healthy,
biologically diverse farms is essential for the long-term sustainability
of our food system and ecosystem.
<Your Organization's Mission and how strengthening
biodiversity conservation in the rule relates to your work.>
In 2004 and 2005, the NOSB issued guidance statements
regarding biodiversity conservation. The current recommendations of its
Joint Crops and Compliance, Accreditation, and Certification Committee
are reasonable steps that build on these earlier assertions and include:
1) Biodiversity be considered when reviewing
materials for use on organic farms,
2) Biodiversity conservation be more fully
developed and implemented in the Organic System Plan (OSP) by:
a) Producers outlining their strategy for biodiversity
conservation in their OSP,
b) Inspectors being trained in biodiversity conservation,
c) Certifiers verifying producer's efforts to address the
NOP's requirements for biodiversity, and
d) NOP emphasizing biodiversity conservation in its
trainings and revising its checklist used to audit certifiers so that
questions about the NOP's biodiversity standards are in every audit.
Incorporating biodiversity into the Materials Review process
will ensure that no harm comes to organisms benefiting the farm, such as
native pollinators. Implementing the requirement for organic farmers to
include biodiversity conservation in their OSPs, will help them to
prioritize their plans and will ensure improvement of their practices
over time. Educating organic inspectors about conservation will result in
consistent interpretation, and requiring certifiers to verify that their
producers are conserving biodiversity will mean that farmers across the
country will all be treated equally. As well, once the NOP begins
checking that all organic certifiers are inspecting for biodiversity
conservation, the rule will be uniformly implemented.
The organic community will benefit from improved
conservation efforts. Farmers who conserve habitat will see an increase
in native predatory and parasitic insects, predatory birds, and
pollinators. The dependence on artificial pest control means will be
reduced, as will the need for purchasing honeybee services. Native
vegetation which protects soil from erosion and acts as filters for
pathogen and nutrient pollutants, will help to meet community needs of
food safety and clean water requirements. By maintaining and restoring
wildlife corridors through the farm, rodent-eating predators will help to
keep pests in check, native species populations will stay viable, and
wild nature will benefit. Consumers will profit from conservation because
they care about nature and do not want to have their children grow up in
a world devoid of biodiversity. Additionally, implementing the
recommendations will help maintain the integrity of the organic label and
honor consumer confidence in its meaning.
We believe it is crucial for the organic farmers,
inspectors, certifiers, the NOSB and the NOP to each do their part to
ensure that biodiversity conservation is fully developed and implemented.
By comprehensively handling the issue, the organic community throughout
the country will be become more efficient at addressing the intent of the
rule and better equipped to benefit from all that nature provides.
Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.
Sincerely,
<Your Name>
<Your Organization>
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*******************************
Liana
Hoodes
National
Organic Action Plan
National
Organic Coalition
3540
Route 52
Pine
Bush, NY 12566
Phone
and Fax: 845-744-2304
www.NationalOrganicCoalition.org
[log in to unmask]
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