Defining "access to pasture"

Under the NOP rules pasture is clearly defined as: Pasture, land used for livestock grazing that is managed to provide feed value and maintain or improve soil, water, and vegetative resources.

On February 17th, 2010 the USDA NOP passed the final rule for “access to pasture” which becomes enforceable as of June 17th, 2010. This final rule amends livestock and related provisions of the NOP regulations. The NOP has taken this action to ensure that NOP livestock production regulations have sufficient specificity and clarity to enable the USDA and accredited certifying agents to efficiently administer the NOP and to facilitate and improve compliance and enforcement. This action is also intended to satisfy consumer expectations that ruminant livestock animals graze on pastures during the grazing season. This action provides clarification and specificity to the livestock feed and living conditions provisions and establishes a pasture practice standard for ruminant animals. In doing so, producers are required to:

  • provide year-round access for all animals to the outdoors
  • recognize pasture as a crop
  • establish a functioning management plan for pasture
  • incorporate the pasture management plan into their organic system plan (OSP)
  • provide ruminants with pasture throughout the grazing season for their geographical location
  • ensure ruminants derive not less than an average of 30 percent of their dry matter intake (DMI) requirement from pasture grazed over the course of the grazing season which must be a minimum of 120days
 

The NOSB guidance document suggests that the following information be included in the Organic Livestock Plan to verify compliance with the pasture requirement:

  • Amount of pasture provided per animal
  • Average amount of time animals are grazed on a daily basis
  • Portion of total feed requirement provided from pasture
  • Circumstances under which animals will be temporarily confined
  • Records maintained to demonstrate compliance with pasture requirements

    

(Photo: Mark Lichtenstein)