Employment Opportunity: The National Organic Program is seeking an Advisory Board Specialist to facilitate the work of the National Organic Standards Board. Application Deadline: Wednesday, August 17, 2011. Learn more and

apply: All citizens | Current/former Federal employees

Notification: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that they have suspended Jirah Milling and Sales' organic certification due to regulatory non-compliance. Effective July 25, 2011, this operation may not sell, label or represent their products as organic. View Notification of Suspension (PDF).

Jirah Milling and Sales organic products purchased prior to July 25, 2011 may be labeled, sold and represented as organic. As of July 25, 2011, products purchased from Jirah Milling and Sales may not be labeled, sold or represented as organic.

AMS Press Release: Final Rule Allows Continued Use of Substances to Support Organic Agriculture. A final rule published in the Federal Register today continues the use of 12 substances in organic production and handling that were scheduled to sunset later this year. The rule (www.regulations.gov, keyword AMS_FRDOC_0001-0820) reflects the recommendations of the National Organic Standards Board to continue allowing the use of select substances in organic agriculture and is effective Sept. 12, 2011.

National List Petitions: The following petitions to amend the National List were recently sent to the National Organic Standards Board for review:

AMS News Release: Promiseland Livestock Withdraws Appeal, Suspension of Organic Certification Effective July 28. Suspension of Promiseland Livestock’s organic certification will become effective on July 28, 2011, representing a victory for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to protect the integrity of the USDA organic label. Processors should not purchase organic replacement stock from the company as of July 28. During the five-year suspension, Promiseland Livestock is prohibited from representing their products as organic.