AMS Again Delays New Organic Livestock and Poultry Requirements

The Agricultural Marketing Service is further postponing until May 14, 2018, the effective date of changes to its organic livestock and poultry production requirements. The agency's January final rule adds new provisions on livestock handling and transport for slaughter and avian living conditions, and expands and clarifies “existing requirements covering livestock care and production practices and mammalian living conditions," AMS said (see 1701180085). The effective date had already been delayed until May from its original March effective date, and then again postponed until Nov. 14 (see 1705090024). The delay will give AMS time to issue another proposed rule and seek additional comments, it said.