Cornucopia Institute calls on organic experts to testify at National Organic Standards Board Spring 2014 meeting

(http://www.cornucopia.org) The Cornucopia Institute (CI) is calling on citizen-lobbyists to testify at the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meeting in San Antonio, Texas, April 29-30. Experts dedicated to the integrity of organic agriculture are being asked to attend and will make brief, one- to four-minute speeches. Additional background information on the issues being considered by the Board will be provided by CI, as well as assistance with logistics.

Anyone who meets the above criteria, is interested in helping out and lives near San Antonio should contact Jason Cole at cole(at)cornucopia.org or (608) 625-2000 by April 7. The meeting will be held at the St. Anthony Hotel at 300 East Travis Street in San Antonio, Texas. More information can be found at the National Organic Program's (NOP) web page on USDA.gov. An agenda of the Spring 2014 meeting is available in PDF format here. Public comments are being accepted until April 8, 2014, and can be submitted here.

The NOSB usually meets twice a year; however, the meeting last year was canceled due to the government "shutdown" in October. So, this year's meeting will be like two in one. CI has raised concern in three particular areas, including rule changes to the NOP's sunset process, antibiotics used in agriculture and the NOP's failure to enact recommendations regarding organic aquaculture. CI's preliminary comments for the Spring 2014 meeting can be viewed here.