The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced its upcoming National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) Meeting set for May 22-25 in Albuquerque, NM.  The NOSB meets twice annually to discuss allowed and prohibited substances in organic production, help develop standards, and advise the Secretary on standards implementation.  NOSB is also responsible for maintaining the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List).

Topics set for the May meeting include petitions to the National List, review of substances due to sunset, proposals for materials and excluded methods, as well as possible amendments to the NOSB Policies and Procedures Manual.  A tentative meeting schedule has been posted online.

The meeting will take place at the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, 800 Rio Grande Boulevard, Albuquerque, NM 87104  from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day except Friday, May 25, when the meeting will close at noon.  The deadline for public comments in advance of the meeting is Thursday, May 3, 2012.  Written comments can be submitted online or mailed before April 30, 2012 via mail to Ms. Ann Michelle Arsenault, Special Assistant, National Organic Standards Board, USDA-AMS-NOP, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2648-S, Mail Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268.