The USDA has proposed rescinding its recently finalized Organic Standards for Pet Food, sparking strong opposition from the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) and other industry stakeholders. Public comments on the proposed withdrawal are open until June 11, 2025, at midnight.
According to the PSC, which represents over 200 pet product companies, the organization "strongly opposes the USDA's proposed rescission of the Organic Pet Food Standards finalized earlier this year." The standards were part of the National Organic Program: Market Development for Mushrooms and Pet Food rule that the USDA published in December 2024.
The USDA initially established these standards to promote market development by ensuring consistent organic certification requirements. According to the USDA, the rule was designed to "provide increased certainty to support conditions necessary for growth in the organic mushroom and pet food markets" by standardizing existing practices in organic pet food handling and allowing synthetic amino acid taurine to be used in organic pet food.
Rescinding the organic rule would be counterproductive
PSC argues that rescinding the rule would be counterproductive. The coalition states that these "long-awaited standards were the result of over two decades of stakeholder collaboration" and that they "lowered barriers for producing complete and balanced organic pet food by aligning with industry practices and permitting key ingredients like animal co-products and synthetic taurine."
According to the PSC, many member companies have already begun implementing the standards. "Since the rule's adoption, many PSC members have begun sourcing organic ingredients and developing new products," the organization noted. "Rolling back the standard would derail these efforts, undermine innovation, and limit consumer choice — particularly for pet parents seeking the same quality of nutrition for their pets as for their families."
The coalition disputes the USDA's rationale for the rescission, arguing that "the USDA's claim that rescission would reduce paperwork and costs is inaccurate." Instead, the PSC maintains that "the 2024 rule reduced administrative burdens and enabled greater access to the organic market for brands and certifiers alike."
Industry observers note that the proposed rescission could "reverse more than 15 years of stakeholder engagement, National Organic Standards Board recommendations and industry" development. Critics have also raised concerns that the USDA moved forward "without industry input and without consultation with the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)".
PSC asks to make your voices heard
The PSC is urging industry stakeholders to submit comments to the USDA to preserve the existing rule and maintain what they describe as "strong, inclusive standards for organic pet food." The organization emphasizes the importance of consulting the National Organic Standards Board and upholding "the integrity and transparency of the organic regulatory process."
For pet food professionals seeking to submit comments, the deadline is June 11, 2025 at midnight ET through the Federal Register docket system.
Here's how to submit:
- Click on this link: Rescinding National Organic Program: Market Development for Mushrooms and Pet Food
- Click on the Comment Box in the top left corner
Identify yourself and your interest in the organic pet food category.
