Tell USDA: Save Organic Animal Welfare Standards

A year ago, the United States Department of Agriculture passed the Organic Welfare Rule (Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices- OLPP). Organic Farmers Association certified organic farmer members unanimously supported the rule implementation, but the USDA just decided to kill it.

We need you to tell USDA you want them to IMPLEMENT THE RULE IMMEDIATELY. Comments are due WEDNESDAY, January 17.

These new standards preserve the integrity of organic. Organic consumers already believe these standards are included in organic certification and most organic farmers already follow the OLPP rule. All certified farms should be required to follow these standards & maintain a level playing field.

CLICK TO: Submit a comment to USDA now.

Please submit a short comment. Here’s some tips:

• Introduce yourself: who you are, where you are from, and share some details about your farm, ranch, or business.
• State that as an organic producer, handler, or consumer you oppose USDA’s action to withdraw the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices final rule (Docket # AMS-NOP-15-0012; NOP-15-06). Please implement the rule immediately.
• Tell USDA why organic welfare is important to you & that these standards preserve trust in the organic label. If consumers doubt that high organic means high welfare standards, the organic label and market will suffer.
• The Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices final rule has widespread support from the industry and consumers. It is the result of more than a decade of work on the part of the National Organic Standards Board and organic community.
• The USDA has received tens of thousands of comments asking for immediate implementation of the rule. During the last comment period, 99 percent of comments asked USDA to implement the rule ASAP.
• The majority of organic livestock farmers already comply with these rules. Farmers who already adhere to high standards are being undercut because of loopholes that allow a small number of producers to deny meaningful outdoor access to animals.
• Organic Consumers want OLPP, Organic Farmers want OLPP, please implement it immediately.
• Your comment can be 2 sentences or it can be pages long. What matters is an individual comment from YOU!

For more information, you can read Organic Farmers Association’s submitted comments to USDA at organicfarmersassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/OFAolppcomments01.11.18.pdf.