National Organic Standard Board Plans to Vote on Paper Pot Petition at October 2020 Meeting

It has been a long, rollercoaster ride since we submitted a formal petition to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) back in 2018 requesting a change to the NOP rules to officially allow the use of paper pots on certified organic farms. There have been several meetings at which we expected a vote on a proposed rule but the details of what types of ingredients will be allowed as part of functional agricultural paper products and the exact wording of the rule has proven to be a complicated matter for the Crops Subcommittee of the NOSB. We are nearing the fall 2020 meeting and a new proposed rule on the use of paper products is on the table and a vote is expected on October 30th.  We are extremely thankful for our many customers who have provided written and oral comments to the NOSB over the past 2 years. We are also thankful for the diligent work of the NOSB and are optimistic about the outcome of the vote.

To learn more about the proposed rule and/or the upcoming NOSB meeting, follow these links:

October NOSB Meeting Information:

https://www.ams.usda.gov/event/national-organic-standards-board-nosb-meeting-cedar-rapids-iowa

Proposed Rule on Paper Products (including paper pots)

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/NOSBProposalPacketOctober2020.pdf