This week we were booked to be at the Fall National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meeting; historically these have been touchstone events for our community to come together, deliberate, and move the organic program forward. Instead, the meeting was canceled. The loss goes far beyond a date on the calendar; it represents a pause in the dialogue that has sustained and grown organic integrity and enterprise for decades.

For those who have been part of this movement since before the NOP, the NOSB is more than an advisory body — it’s the connective tissue of the organic system. It is where farmers, certifiers, advocates, consumers, and businesses meet face to face to dissect, argue about, and interpret the evolving meaning of “organic.” The conversations in hallways and over coffee have often shaped the trajectory of policy as much as the testimony at the microphone. Without that, something essential is missing.

The cancellation reflects a deeper uncertainty. The current administration’s approach in appointing the next round of board members (a third of the Board, mind you), coupled with an ambiguous commitment to future meetings, stalls the Board’s critical advisory role. As a result, important work, petitions awaiting review, materials due for re-listing decisions, and policy recommendations that need public input are suspended. The cumulative effect goes beyond mere delay; it begins to erode the democratic process and the transparency of our standard.

We’ve been here before, but not with as much important work at stake. The cancelled agenda included deep dives into implementing risk-based processes – but five of the Board members who worked tirelessly on this and other key issues will have their terms end in January 2026. Having their voices missing from the deliberations from the next (notably unscheduled) NOSB meeting is a loss for which there is no compensation available.

During the pandemic, the loss of in-person engagement had a quiet but lasting impact on collaboration and accountability. The organic community thrives on human connection, on seeing and hearing each other, debating earnestly, disagreeing constructively. When that disappears, so too does the shared sense of purpose that has always been our greatest strength.

Wolf & Associates continues to advocate for the restoration of consistent NOSB engagement—public, participatory, and transparent. Organic stakeholders deserve a functioning process that invites their voices and honors the statutory intent of the Organic Foods Production Act. We urge the administration and USDA to act swiftly to appoint the new members and schedule catch-up Board meeting, thus reaffirming its commitment to meaningful stakeholder participation.

The vitality of the organic movement depends not only on the strength of its standards, but on the strength of our community. Let’s not allow procedural uncertainty to undo what decades of dialogue have built.