USDA AMS Seeks to Extend and Consolidate National Organic Program Information Collection

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has initiated a process to extend and revise its foundational National Organic Program (NOP) information collection, a move crucial for the ongoing administration and enforcement of federal organic standards. This notice, published in the Federal Register on September 25, 2026, opens a public comment period until November 24, 2026, inviting stakeholders to provide input on proposed changes aimed at streamlining reporting requirements and consolidating various data collection efforts under a single, comprehensive framework.

Background of the National Organic Program and Information Collection

The National Organic Program, established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), serves three core purposes. It sets national standards for organically produced agricultural products, assures consumers of consistent organic standards, and facilitates interstate commerce for organic food. To fulfill these mandates, the NOP relies on extensive information collection from various entities across the organic supply chain. Since December 21, 2000, the NOP information collection (OMB Control Number 0581-0191) has been essential for evaluating compliance, assessing program effectiveness, and informing management decisions and policy changes.

Respondents to this collection are diverse. They include operations seeking or maintaining USDA organic certification, USDA-accredited certifying agents and their inspectors, non-USDA accredited certifying agents, and state and foreign program officials. The public also contributes by petitioning changes to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances or submitting allegations of fraudulent organic activities.

Proposed Revisions to Enhance Efficiency

AMS proposes several revisions to the existing information collection, focusing on streamlining processes and improving clarity. Two specific forms, central to the organic certification and trade process, are slated for modification:

• TM-10CG, Application for Accreditation: This form is used by entities seeking or renewing accreditation as certifying agents. AMS intends to remove the requirement for applicants to submit evidence of staff expertise and operational ability with their initial application. This information will instead be collected later in the application process. This change aims to reduce the submission of duplicative or incomplete responses, thereby streamlining the process for both applicants and AMS.

• NOP 2110-1, NOP Import Certificate: This certificate is vital for foreign operations exporting certified organic products to the United States and for USDA-certified operations importing these goods. AMS plans to revise item 7 on this form from "RECIPIENT IN THE U.S. (NAME AND ADDRESS)" to "CERTIFIED ORGANIC IMPORTER IN THE U.S. (NAME AND ADDRESS)." This revision is designed to clarify the required information, reduce erroneous responses, and prevent duplicative submissions, ultimately improving efficiency in the import certification process.

Consolidation of Information Collections

A significant aspect of AMS's proposal involves integrating the paperwork burdens from four separate, recently approved information collections into the main National Organic Program collection. This strategic consolidation aims to create a more unified and efficient reporting framework while eliminating overlapping or duplicative estimates of paperwork burden. The four collections earmarked for integration are:

1. Strengthening Organic Enforcement (0581-0321): This rule introduced new requirements for organic integrity.
2. Origin of Livestock-Variance Request (0581-0343): This pertains to specific requests related to livestock sourcing.
3. Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (0581-0293): This collection covers reporting for animal welfare and production standards.
4. Market Development for Mushrooms and Pet Food (0581-0347): This addresses specific market development reporting.

Upon OMB approval of the revised main NOP collection, AMS will request the discontinuation of these four individual collections. AMS will carefully incorporate unique new burdens from these collections into the NOP collection, such as specific training hour requirements for organic personnel from the Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule or variance request submissions from the Origin of Livestock rule. Importantly, one-time burdens associated with initial compliance with these four rules, such as operations updating their Organic System Plans or certifying agents developing new procedures, will not be carried over. This ensures that the consolidated burden estimate accurately reflects ongoing, recurring reporting requirements.

Additionally, AMS will refine overall burden estimates due to routine fluctuations in the number of certified organic operations. The agency will also remove burden estimates associated with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program, as this initiative concludes on December 31, 2026, making its associated data collection obsolete.

Estimated Paperwork Burden and Public Comment

The total estimated annual burden for the revised National Organic Program collection is substantial, encompassing approximately 4.27 million hours across 56,827 respondents. This burden includes time for training, record creation, administration, preparation, review, and submission of reports.

This notice functions as a formal invitation for comments, specifically seeking input on whether the proposed revisions accurately reflect the time required for respondents. It is a routine step within the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ensuring that federal agencies minimize the reporting burden on the public and only collect necessary information. The public comment period provides a critical opportunity for stakeholders to voice concerns or offer suggestions regarding the accuracy of burden estimates and the practical implications of the proposed changes.