Organic Materials Review Institute Enhances Generic List; Publication Date October 2001 July 9, 2001 For immediate release Contact: Kathleen Downey OMRI Executive Director 541-343-7600 541-343-8971 fax Eugene, Ore.--The board of directors of the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is inviting comments from the organization's subscribing certifiers and advisory council members on an updated OMRI Generic Materials List. After analyzing these comments, the improved OMRI Generic Materials List is scheduled for publication in early October, 2001, and will be fully annotated to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's final version of national organic standards. "By keying the OMRI Generic Materials List to the national rule, the enhanced information will be even more valuable and timely for organic growers, certifiers, and other members of the organic community," says Kathleen Downey, executive director of OMRI. "A draft version of the revised list will be sent in late July to OMRI's subscribing certifiers and advisory council to allow for an open discussion of interpretation of specific issues." The OMRI Generic Materials and the OMRI Brand Name Products Lists offer recommendations and opinions on generic materials and specific (brand name) products used in organic production, processing, and handling. The improved version of the OMRI Generic Materials List will address and clarify areas where USDA's final rule conflicts with established practices and standards of organic growers, processors, and certifiers. "This decision is fully in keeping with OMRI's core values and mission," says Bill Wolf of Wolf & Associates, OMRI's board of directors president. "Our commitment to compile, analyze, and communicate organic materials information in the most complete and transparent way possible is well served by this process. This list will be published a full year before the national rule becomes effective in October 2002." The OMRI Generic Materials and Brand Name Products Lists are compiled by the OMRI staff and other industry experts in advisory capacities, and are available to individuals, organizations, companies, certifiers, and state/province programs as part of an annual subscription that includes updates and industry news. The OMRI Brand Name Products List is also available on-line at www.omri.org. The new OMRI Generic Materials List will contain information on more than 700 substances, including: a new column containing final rule references and restrictions of the National Organic Program status, class, and restrictions or qualifications for each material, including adjustments needed to current listings crop and processing material comparisons between the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OMRI. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its final version of national organic standards in December 2000, with an 18-month implementation period as USDA's National Organic Program becomes the oversight agency for the organic industry. To subscribe to the OMRI lists or to apply for a brand name product review, contact OMRI at Box 11558, Eugene, OR 97440 USA, 541-343-7600, fax 541-343-8971, info@omri.org, www.omri.org. OMRI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose work is overseen by a 14-person board of directors representing all sectors of the organic community, an expert advisory council, and professional review panels.