More Synthetics Enter “Organic” Livestock

The Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently published a final rule that adds a handful of synthetic substances for use in organic livestock production. The rule amends the National Organic Program’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.

From an article in the Journal for the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA):

Veterinarians may now use additional synthetic drugs—atropine, butorphanol, flunixin, furosemide, magnesium hydroxide, poloxalene, tolazoline, and xylazine—in organic livestock production, under certain restrictions.

For many of the synthetic drugs, the new rule specifies longer meat and milk withdrawal times in organic livestock production than in traditional livestock production. The USDA indicated that it did not use food safety arguments to support the extension of withdrawal periods. Rather, the department determined that longer withdrawal periods are more compatible with consumer expectations of organic livestock production.

Despite many disapproving comments, the “department determined…that the record supports the need for livestock medications in the interest of humane treatment.

Link to the AMS Rule

Thank you to William Mitchell College of Law student Heather McDougall for preparing this post.