Most organic dairy and ruminant livestock producers already graze their animals and maintain pastures that meet the requirements of this rule.
"Clear and enforceable standards are essential to the health and success of the market for organic agriculture," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who is not generally regarded as an organic agriculture supporter. "The final rule published today (February 12, 2010) will give consumers confidence that organic milk or cheese comes from cows raised on pasture, and organic family farmers the assurance that there is one, consistent pasture standard that applies to dairy products."
"This is very exciting news," said Riddle, who was 20 years a farmer, 20 years an inspector and former chairman of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). "It levels the playing field for organic livestock producers and meets consumers' demands."
Pasture management has been a long battle and the many different activist groups sometimes speeded up and slowed down legislation at the same time, said Faye Jones, executive director of MOSES (www.mosesorganic.org). This sent mixed messages to the USDA, which as a government agency is typically slow in changing policy.
"I never had any doubt it was going to come," said Jones, "even though 30 years ago I never dreamed that we'd be where we've come in my lifetime."
Finally, Riddle announced that the National Organic Action Plan (NOAP) established organic as "the foundation for food and agriculture in the United States" after a five-year dialogue with organic stakeholders across the country.
NOAP recommends the adoption of an expanded organic policy agenda to unite people across the country in their efforts to enhance access to organic food for people of all income levels; safeguard the environment and conserve biodiversity; ensure a fair marketplace for small, medium-sized and family farms; and move society towards more socially just and humane food and agriculture production systems, according to the National Organic Coalition (NOC), which organized the dialogue for NOAP.
NOC (www.nationalorganiccoalition.org) is a national alliance of organizations working to provide a "Washington voice" for farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, consumers and progressive industry members involved in organic agriculture. The Coalition also believes that organic agricultural policy must encourage continuous quality improvements, sound stewardship and humane practices.
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