USDA to Rescind Organic Livestock and Poultry Rules to Detriment of Family Organic Producers and Consumers, NFU Says

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its intent to withdraw the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP) final rule. The rule was finalized in January 2017, but placed on hold when the new administration took office.

 

National Farmers Union (NFU) supports the OLPP rule’s intent, as it would improve the consistency and integrity of organic livestock practices and labeling. NFU Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Communications Rob Larew issued the following statement in response to the announcement:

 

“This is a very disappointing decision by USDA, both for American family farmers and for consumers. Currently, we have too much inconsistency in how organic certifiers apply animal welfare standards to farming and ranching operations. This, in turn, endangers the organic label’s integrity and leads to consumer confusion. The OLPP rule would have helped mitigate these concerns by standardizing organic livestock and poultry practices for the voluntary National Organic Program.

 

“We urge USDA to find a solution that provides certainty to family organic producers and integrity to the organic label. Family farmers, ranchers, and consumers all benefit from thorough, accurate and consistent food labeling.”

 

Video: Episode 108: How to Evaluate Newborn Calves Using the Calf VIGOR Scoring System

Ideally, after a calf is born, things go well, and the cow and newborn calf thrive. However, it is important for producers to know how to assess calves for subtle signs of distress or trauma that can occur due to a difficult calving. This episode will review how to access calf VIGOR, how it is scored and when to intervene.