Final rule amends national list of allowed, prohibited substances

The USDA’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) for organic regulations has been amended to implement recommendations submitted to the secretary of agriculture by the NOSB.

The rule changes the use restrictions for 17 substances allowed for organic production or handling on the National List. It also adds 16 new substances to be allowed in organic production or handling. It also lists the botanical pesticide rotenone as a prohibited substance in organic crop production and removes ivermectin as an allowed parasiticide for use in organic livestock production and amends regulations to allow the use of parasiticides in fiber bearing animals.

The rule became effective Jan. 28 and was fully implemented that day, except that the amendments for the substances ivermectin, flavors, cellulose and glycerin will be implemented Dec. 27. For more information on the substances listed in this final rule, visit www.regulations.gov.

Sharon Spielman is former senior editor of Food Engineering magazine. She has more than 25 years of experience as a writer and editor for a range of trade publications, including those that cover food and beverage processing, restaurants and institutions, chefs, process heating and cooling, finishing, and package converting.