Rule2026-02548
National Organic Program: 2026 Sunset Review and Substance Renewals
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 9, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAgricultural Marketing Service
Abstract
This document announces the renewal of 56 substances listed on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances within the U.S. Department of Agriculture's organic regulations. This document reflects the outcome of the 2026 sunset review processes and addresses recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture, through the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, by the National Organic Standards Board.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 26 (Monday, February 9, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5666-5667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02548]
[[Page 5666]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Part 205
[Doc. No. AMS-NOP-25-0089; NOP-25-05]
National Organic Program: 2026 Sunset Review and Substance
Renewals
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: 2026 sunset review and substance renewals.
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SUMMARY: This document announces the renewal of 56 substances listed on
the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances within the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's organic regulations. This document reflects
the outcome of the 2026 sunset review processes and addresses
recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture, through the
USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, by the National Organic
Standards Board.
DATES: Applicable July 26, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jared Clark, Assistant Director,
Standards Division, National Organic Program; phone: (202) 720-3252;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0943687b6c6d274a65687b62497c7a6d68276e667f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cd87acbfa8a9e38ea1acbfa68db8bea9ace3aaa2bb">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On December 21, 2000, the Secretary established the Agricultural
Marketing Service's (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP) and the USDA
organic regulations (65 FR 80548, December 21, 2000). Within the USDA
organic regulations (7 CFR part 205) is the National List of Allowed
and Prohibited Substances (or ``National List''). The National List
identifies the synthetic substances that may be used and the
nonsynthetic (natural) substances that may not be used in organic crop
and livestock production. It also identifies the nonorganic substances
that may be used in or on processed organic products.
The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), as amended (7
U.S.C. chapter 94), and the USDA organic regulations specifically
prohibit the use of any synthetic substance in organic production and
handling unless the synthetic substance is on the National List (7 CFR
205.601, 205.603 and 205.605(b)). Section 205.105 also requires that
any nonorganic agricultural substance and any nonsynthetic
nonagricultural substance used in organic handling be on the National
List (Sec. Sec. 205.605(a) and 205.606).
Under OFPA, 7 U.S.C. 6518, the National Organic Standards Board
(``NOSB'' or ``Board''), operating in accordance with the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 10), is authorized to evaluate
substances for organic production and handling and to advise the
Secretary on the USDA organic regulations. The OFPA ``sunset
provision'' (7 U.S.C. 6517(e)) requires review of all substances
included on the National List within 5 years of their addition to, or
renewal on, the list. A list of all National List sunset dates is
posted online for public access in the ``NOSB Work Agenda'' document on
the NOP's NOSB web page, <a href="http://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/nosb">www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/nosb</a>.
As required by the OFPA, during a sunset review, the NOSB considers
any new information about a substance's impact on human health and the
environment, its necessity, and its consistency with organic production
and handling. The NOSB then votes on proposals to remove individual
substances from the National List, with a \2/3\ majority needed to
recommend removal of a substance.
As delegated by the Secretary, AMS evaluates the NOSB's reviews and
recommendations for compliance with the National List substance
evaluation criteria in the OFPA at 7 U.S.C. 6518(m) and other Federal
statutes and regulations. AMS also considers public comments submitted
in association with the sunset review process, as described in the
notice published on September 16, 2013 (78 FR 56811).
Review of Sunset Substances
AMS published notices in the Federal Register announcing the Spring
2024 (89 FR 8398, February 07, 2024) and Fall 2024 (89 FR 70591, August
30, 2024) NOSB meetings and invited public comments on the 2026 sunset
review of the substances included in the table below. AMS hosted public
webinars prior to these NOSB meetings to provide additional
opportunities for public comment. The NOSB also heard oral comments
during the first day of each Spring and Fall in-person meeting. At
these public meetings, the NOSB reviewed substances scheduled to sunset
from the National List and recommended that they either be removed or
remain on the National List.
AMS has reviewed and accepted the Board's sunset review
recommendations for substances with sunset dates in 2026 and 2029. AMS
is renewing the listings of these substances until 2031. AMS determined
that the substance allowances listed in this notice are still necessary
because of the unavailability of organic forms or wholly natural
substitutes for the specified uses (7 U.S.C. 6517(c)(1)(A)(ii)). The
renewal of these substances will avoid potential disruptions to the
organic industry that may otherwise result from removal from the
National List. AMS also has determined that the prohibited natural
substances listed in this notice should remain prohibited because their
use remains inconsistent with organic production (7 U.S.C.
6517(c)(2)(A)(ii)).
Sunset Renewals
This document renews all 56 substances for another 5 years past the
first sunset date of July 26, 2026.
The substances renewed in this notice currently have three sunset
dates: July 26, 2026 (3 substances: oxalic acid dihydrate, pullulan,
and collagen gel); September 12, 2026 (52 substances not covered by the
July or October sunset dates); and October 30, 2029 (1 substance:
tolazoline). Tolazoline was originally scheduled to be reviewed by the
NOSB in 2027 but was reviewed early to align with xylazine as they are
generally used together.
This notice establishes a new sunset date for the following
substances as outlined in the header for Table 1 below.
Table 1--National List Substances Renewed Until July 26, 2031 *
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Citation Substance
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7 CFR 205.601 Synthetic substances allowed
for use in organic crop production:
Sec. 205.601(a)(4)................... Hydrogen peroxide.
Sec. 205.601(d)...................... Ammonium soaps.
Sec. 205.601(e)(7)................... Horticultural oils.
Sec. 205.601(f)...................... Pheromones.
Sec. 205.601(h)(1)................... Ferric phosphate.
Sec. 205.601(i)(5)................... Hydrogen peroxide.
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Sec. 205.601(i)(7)................... Horticultural oils.
Sec. 205.601(i)(9)................... Potassium bicarbonate.
Sec. 205.601(j)(6)................... Magnesium sulfate.
Sec. 205.601(n)...................... Hydrogen chloride.
7 CFR 205.602 Nonsynthetic substances
prohibited for use in organic crop
production:
Sec. 205.602(a)...................... Ash from manure burning.
Sec. 205.602(g)...................... Sodium fluoaluminate
(mined).
7 CFR 205.603 Synthetic substances allowed
for use in organic livestock production:
Sec. 205.603(a)(3)................... Atropine.
Sec. 205.603(a)(15).................. Hydrogen peroxide.
Sec. 205.603(a)(16).................. Iodine.
Sec. 205.603(a)(19).................. Magnesium sulfate.
Sec. 205.603(a)(23)(i)............... Fenbendazole.
Sec. 205.603(a)(23)(ii).............. Moxidectin.
Sec. 205.603(a)(24).................. Peroxyacetic/peracetic
acid.
Sec. 205.603(a)(29).................. Tolazoline.
Sec. 205.603(a)(30).................. Xylazine.
Sec. 205.603(b)(4)................... Iodine.
Sec. 205.603(b)(8)................... Oxalic acid dihydrate.
Sec. 205.603(d)(1)................... DL-Methionine.
Sec. 205.603(d)(2)................... Trace minerals.
Sec. 205.603(d)(3)................... Vitamins.
7 CFR 205.605 Nonagricultural (nonorganic)
substances allowed as ingredients in or on
processed products labeled as ``organic''
or ``made with organic (specified
ingredients or food group(s))'' :
Sec. 205.605(a)(1)................... Citric acid.
Sec. 205.605(a)(1)................... Lactic acid.
Sec. 205.605(a)(7)................... Calcium chloride.
Sec. 205.605(a)(11).................. Enzymes.
Sec. 205.605(a)(16).................. L-Malic acid.
Sec. 205.605(a)(18).................. Magnesium sulfate.
Sec. 205.605(a)(19).................. Microorganisms.
Sec. 205.605(a)(22).................. Perlite.
Sec. 205.605(a)(24).................. Potassium iodide.
Sec. 205.605(a)(25).................. Pullulan.
Sec. 205.605(a)(30).................. Yeast.
Sec. 205.605(b)(2)................... Activated charcoal.
Sec. 205.605(b)(6)................... Ascorbic acid.
Sec. 205.605(b)(7)................... Calcium citrate.
Sec. 205.605(b)(13).................. Collagen gel.
Sec. 205.605(b)(15).................. Ferrous sulfate.
Sec. 205.605(b)(17).................. Hydrogen peroxide.
Sec. 205.605(b)(20).................. Nutrient vitamins and
minerals.
Sec. 205.605(b)(22).................. Peracetic acid/Peroxyacetic
acid.
Sec. 205.605(b)(25).................. Potassium citrate.
Sec. 205.605(b)(28).................. Potassium phosphate.
Sec. 205.605(b)(30).................. Sodium acid pyrophosphate.
Sec. 205.605(b)(31).................. Sodium citrate.
Sec. 205.605(b)(37).................. Tocopherols.
7 CFR 205.606 Nonorganically produced
agricultural products allowed as
ingredients in or on processed products
labeled as ``organic'':
Sec. 205.606(c)...................... Celery powder.
Sec. 205.606(f)...................... Fish oil.
Sec. 205.606(h)...................... Gelatin.
Sec. 205.606(m)...................... Orange pulp, dried.
Sec. 205.606(q)...................... Seaweed (Pacific kombu).
Sec. 205.606(t)...................... Seaweed (Wakame seaweed).
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* The full listings for each of these substances, including annotations
regarding their use, are contained in the relevant sections of 7 CFR
part 205, subpart G, as listed under the Citation column.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. chapter 94.
Erin Morris,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-02548 Filed 2-6-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 9, 2026.
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