Source: Susan Kelly, MEATINGPLACE, 6/16/17

The National Chicken Council (NCC) is asking USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) to suspend the twice-delayed final rule for organic livestock and poultry welfare standards to allow time for a cost analysis and risk assessment.

Suspending the rule also would allow for the construction of a coordinated biosecurity framework for organic poultry production, NCC said.

AMS previously delayed implementing the rule from May 19 to November 14, 2017, citing a federal freeze on new regulations until the administration conducts further review.

In earlier comments to the agency, NCC outlined concerns about outdoor access and biosecurity, suitable enrichments, and the potential for market exclusion for poultry producers due to the proposed requirements.

Among its provisions, the rule amends requirements for transporting organic livestock and poultry to slaughter, sets maximum indoor and outdoor stocking densities for organic chickens and requires that outdoor spaces for organic poultry include soil and vegetation.

The National Pork Producers’ Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association both oppose the rule.

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