MOSA provides our clients with much more than just certification.

Joe Pedretti

MOSA Client Services Director

Certification Policy Update

Certification Policy Update

By Jackie DeMinter, Certification Policy Manager

Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards

As of January 2, 2025 all livestock operations must be in full compliance with the new regulations, with a few exceptions for poultry operations, as below:

  1. Currently certified organic layer operations that were certified before January 2, 2025, must comply with the §§ 205.241(c)(2), (c)(4), and (c)(5), concerning outdoor stocking density requirements and soil and vegetation requirements, by January 2, 2029.

  2. Currently certified organic broiler operations that were certified before January 2, 2025, must comply with §§ 205.241(b)(10), (c)(2), and (c)(6), concerning indoor and outdoor stocking density requirements and soil and vegetation requirements, by January 2, 2029.

  3. Currently certified organic poultry operations that were certified before January 2, 2025, must comply with § 205.241(b)(4), concerning poultry house exit area requirements, by January 2, 2029.

Except as described above, all poultry operations must comply with all remaining new and revised standards. For example: layers, including pullets, must comply with all non-excepted requirements including indoor stocking density requirements, temperature requirements for temporary confinement, perch space, etc.

National Organic Program: Market Development for Mushrooms and Pet Food

The National Organic Program published the final rule for both Mushrooms and Pet food in December with an effective date of February 21, 2025 and a compliance date of February 22, 2027. This publication was quickly followed by a notice of postponement until March 21, 2025. On this date these final rules will become effective, with the two year compliance date.

Through the amendments in this final rule, AMS is establishing standards for organic mushroom production and pet food handling. In summary, the rule:

Mushroom Production

  • Establishes definitions for mushroom, mushroom mycelium, mushroom spawn, mushroom spawn media, and mushroom substrate for the purposes of the USDA organic regulations.

  • Clarifies that mushrooms are a type of crop and updates the definition of crops to include mushrooms.

  • Creates a new section of the organic regulations titled “Mushroom Production Practice Standard,” to describe standards related to the production of mushrooms, mushroom spawn, and products of mushroom production.

  • Specifies allowed substances in organic mushroom spawn media and organic mushroom substrate.

  • Requires that uncomposted plant materials used in mushroom substrate be organic when commercially available; requires that operations describe in their organic system plan the procedures and criteria used to search for organic materials and the recordkeeping system used to track purchases of nonorganic plant materials.

  • Allows nonorganic wood materials in mushroom substrate and spawn media.

  • Requires that operations use organic mushroom spawn when commercially available.

  • Describes minimum requirements for compost used in mushroom substrate. (The requirements for compost used in other types of crop production (i.e., plants) are unchanged.)

Pet Food

  • Establishes definitions for pet and pet food for the purposes of the USDA organic regulations and clarifies that pet food is distinct from livestock feed under these regulations.

  • Clarifies the requirements for composition and labeling of organic pet food using the existing regulatory framework for processed organic products.

  • Allows use of synthetic taurine (an amino acid) in organic pet food, as well as other vitamins and minerals that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.