On February 12, 2010, the USDA announced details of the final regulation regarding access to pasture for organic livestock operations. This rule amends the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations to clarify livestock feed and living conditions provisions and specify the use of pasture in raising organic ruminants. The final rule is the culmination of a process that was initiated in 2005 when the National Organic Standards Board recommended that ruminants obtain a minimum 30 percent dry matter intake for at least 120 days. The final rule becomes effective on June 17, 2010 (120 days after its publication). In this webinar, Dr. Kerry Smith, USDA AMS National Organic Program, will give an overview of the main components of the Pasture Rule. The webinar will end with instructions for submitting any comments viewers may have on the new Rule to the NOP, as well as taking suggestions for further webinars on this topic.

About Kerry Smith

Dr. Kerry R. Smith is a Livestock and Meat Marketing Specialist with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). She received her Master of Science degree from the University of Florida and her Doctorate from the University of Georgia, both in Animal Science with an emphasis on meat science and muscle biology. Dr. Smith is currently working with the National Organic Program to coordinate the rollout and implementation of the Access to Pasture Rule.

About eOrganic

The eOrganic eXtension website at http:www.extension.org/organic_production is for farmers, ranchers, agricultural professionals, certifiers, researchers and educators seeking reliable information on organic agriculture, published research results, farmer experiences, and certification. Our current content is focused on general organic agriculture, dairy production, and vegetable production. The content is collaboratively authored and reviewed by our community of University researchers and Extension personnel, agricultural professionals, farmers, and certifiers with experience and expertise in organic agriculture.

Title:          A Look at the Newly Released Organic Pasture Rule
Date:         Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Time:         5:00 PM - 6:00 PM EST

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements

PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

This is an eOrganic article and was reviewed for compliance with National Organic Program regulations by members of the eOrganic community. Always check with your organic certification agency before adopting new practices or using new materials. For more information, refer to eOrganic's articles on organic certification.

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