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Are Quaternary Ammonium Compounds allowed for use in my certified organic operation?
By Doug Currier
Quaternary Ammonium Cations (NR4+) are a group of powerful surfactants used in a variety of industries for their hydrophobic and anti-microbial properties. Often referred to as “quats” or QACs (Quaternary Ammonium Compounds), these materials are found in products ranging from shampoos, to corrosion inhibitors used in the oil and gas industry, to formulation ingredients for pesticides.
Quats are synthetic...
How does OMRI differentiate between livestock feed ingredients (LF) and livestock health care (LH) products, and thus decide which review policies to use?
By Nick Stansbury
The National Organic Program (NOP) regulations at 7 CFR Part 205 outline distinct standards for Livestock Feed at §205.237 and Livestock Health Care at §205.238. There is some overlap, and §205.238 includes the “[p]rovision of a feed ration sufficient to meet nutritional requirements” as a health care practice standard. Crucial to the review of...
by Kelsey McKee
The organic movement has both a local focus and a global reach, which is true for OMRI as well. At our office in Eugene, Oregon, we review input products that are manufactured across town, and purchased by local farmers who market their bounty through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. We also review input materials from halfway across the globe that may be used to grow such novelties as the tropical dragon fruit or mid-winter strawberry. In total, the...
How are floating agents used, and which materials are allowed?
By Ana Negrete
Post-harvest production practices include cleaning, sorting and storing produce in order to preserve its freshness and quality, while maintaining its essential form. Among these practices is the use of water-based unloading of field bins. This practice helps reduce produce injury/bruising, and also helps transport free-floating produce through the processing line. Unfortunately, not all crops tolerate wetting, and those that do don’t...
By Phoebe Judge
OMRI recently completed a periodic re-review of the OMRI Generic Materials List© and OMRI Standards Manual© for review to the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) standards, and these updates are now available online at OMRI.org. The 2019 revisions reflect updates to the National List, clarification of definitions, reorganization of categories, and other updates as highlighted below. These changes may include input from public comments and technical review, and are approved by the OMRI Board of...
How does OMRI review guano as a crop fertilizer, and when does it carry a restriction?
By Gwynn Sawyer Ostrom
Guano is a naturally occurring substance primarily made from the excrement of wild bats and birds. It is commonly used as a fertilizer and is typically high in nitrogen, phosphate and potassium (NPK). It can be found where colonies of seabirds dwell, such as islands near coasts and subtropical latitudes where there is little rain, or in caves. In some places, guano goes through a lengthy process of...
Is silicon dioxide allowed as an anti-caking agent in livestock feed?
By Gwen Ayers
Silicon dioxide (SiO2), also know as silica, is a chemical compound which has many different crystalline forms and a wide range of applications. It is used in everything from the production of widow glass and optical fibers to defoamers and cement. The term “Silicon Valley” was coined because of the use of silicon in the computer industry. Among its many uses, it quite often appears as a flow agent or anti-caking agent in...
By Tina Jensen Augustine
Are kairomones considered pheromones, and are they allowed?
The National List at §205.601(f) allows for the use of synthetic pheromones in insect management. These synthetic pheromones are copies of certain natural substances released by organisms as communication signals. “Semiochemical” is the general term used to describe chemicals emitted by an organism that influence the physiology or behavior of other organisms. Pheromones are semiochemicals that influence the physiology or behavior of...
How are non-National List materials reviewed for compliance as sanitizers?
By Jennifer Ludwig
The National Organic Program (NOP) regulations include a “National List” of materials that are exceptions to the basic rules of what is allowed or prohibited in organic production. The National List is outlined in §§205.601–205.606. Within the scope of organic processing, materials are allowed as inputs for organic products if they are at least one of the following: certified organic; nonagricultural and present on the National...
by Deder Siedler
Ammonium sulfate, (NH4)₂ SO₄, is an additive occasionally used in both livestock and human foods. While ammonium sulfate is often considered a source of nitrogen, it is also a source of sulfur.
The NOP Rule states that synthetic “Trace minerals, for enrichment or fortification…” (§205.603 (d)(2)) and “Vitamins, for enrichment or fortification…” §205.603 (d)(3)) are Allowed, but only when “FDA approved.”
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