The National Organic Program published proposed amendments to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) for crops and processing, based on recommendations by the National Organic Standards Board.

As identified in the proposed rule, the amendments would add the following substances to the National List, along with any restrictive annotations: microcrystalline cheesewax for organic crop production to §205.601 of the National List; acidified sodium chlorite for organic processing to §205.605(b); and dried orange pulp and Pacific kombu seaweed for organic processing to §205.606.

If adopted, the proposed rule would also amend the annotation for unbleached lecithin in §205.606(o), and remove bleached lecithin from §205.605(b).

The National List identifies synthetic substances that may be used (§§205.601 and 205.603) and nonsynthetic (natural) substances that may not be used in organic production (§§205.602 and 205.604). It also specifies the nonagricultural (nonorganic) substances that may be used in processed organic products (§205.605) and nonorganically produced agricultural products that may be used in processed organic products (§205.606). Since established, the National List has been amended thirteen times.

Interested persons may comment on this proposed rule by visiting http://www.regulations.gov or by mailing them to Toni Strother, Agricultural Marketing Specialist, National Organic Program, USDA-AMS-NOP, Room 2646-So., Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-0268. Written comments responding to this proposed rule should be identified with the document number AMS-NOP-10-0079; NOP-09-02. All comments are due Jan. 7, 2011.

For further information, contact Melissa Bailey, director of NOP Standards Division, at (202) 720-3252 or by fax at (202) 205-7808.