USDA this week published the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) proposed rule in the Federal Register.
The proposed rule includes changes to the USDA organic regulations for livestock and poultry, including to living conditions, transport, and processing.
According to the Federal Register publication, the rule would “specify which physical alteration procedures are prohibited or restricted for use on organic livestock; set separate standards for mammalian and avian livestock living conditions to … reflect the needs and behaviors of the different species, as well as related consumer expectations; [would include] proposed avian livestock living standards [that] would set maximum indoor and outdoor stocking densities to ensure the birds have sufficient space to engage in natural behaviors; would add new requirements on the transport of organic livestock to sale or slaughter; and would add a new section to clarify how organic slaughter facility practices and USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations work together to support animal welfare.”
The comment period will close at midnight on October 11, 2022, 60 days from publication. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will also hold a virtual listening session on August 19 from 12pm to 2pm EST.
More information can be found in the Federal Register.
