USDA Announces Five New Members to the National Organic Standards Board, the adoption of a new NOSB Charter and details of the Fall meeting.
On Friday, 8/7/2026, the newly adopted NOSB Charter was posted on the USDA website at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/NOSBCharter.pdf . The previous charter ended a few months ago and the NOSB cannot function without a current Charter which runs for 2 years. Although the NOSB was explicitly written into law by the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), it is governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), and all FACA committees must have a current Charter.
It give citizens and diverse stakeholders direct power in shaping the organic certification regulations and process. Unlike typical agency-led federal committees, its public-private structure forces the U.S. government to share standard-setting authority with the diverse stakeholders that make up the organic farming community. The Board holds the distinct power to vote on and decide which specific synthetic and natural substances are allowed or prohibited in organic farming. It is a valuable asset for the organic community from Farm to Table and its status must be supported in all aspects of advising the Secretary on how the certification process functions, regulations are written and the National Lists is regulated. Bypassing the role of the NOSB with legislation undermines the integrity of the Organic Seal for operations and consumers.
New NOSB Members
The USDA announced the appointment of five new members to the National Organic Standards Board on August 17, 2026. This will bring the Board back up to strength after 8 months of only having 10 members. The new members will serve five-year terms, through January 2031.
The new members of the Board are:
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Scott Sechler Sr. (Pennsylvania) is appointed to the Farmer seat. Mr. Sechler has spent his entire career in poultry including the past 40 years as Owner & Chairman of Bell & Evans, a premium Raised Without Antibiotics and Organic poultry brand. He launched Bell & Evans’ organic-certified program in 2009, and Bell & Evans uses 100% U.S. organic grains in its organic chicken feed. He brings extensive knowledge of worldwide poultry and organic standards. |
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Jerry Matzner (Minnesota) is appointed to the Farmer seat. Mr. Matzner has operated Century Farm Organics for parts |
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Jed Murray (Texas) is appointed to the Public Interest/ Consumer Interest Group seat. Mr. Murray has 20 years of experience in agriculture, including 13 years in the vegetable industry. He is currently the Director of Government Relations at Texas International Produce Association and Managing Partner at 9 Kids Compost LLC. He is a member of the Texas Department of State Health Services Food Safety and Defense Task Force, Texas Vegetable Association, and the Texas A&M Vegetable & Fruit Program. He holds a BS in Agribusiness and Marketing from California Polytechnic State University. |
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Dr. Bradley Heins (Minnesota) is appointed to a Public Interest/Consumer Interest Group seat. Dr. Heins is Professor of Organic Dairy Management at the University of Minnesota, has authored or coauthored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications on livestock and has been engaged in certified organic farming since 2010. He is a member of Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools (CROPP, Organic Valley) and the National Farmers Organization. He holds a PhD and MS in Animal Science and a BS in Animal and Plant Systems from the University of Minnesota. |
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Bryan Buchwald (Oklahoma) is appointed to the Organic Certifying Agent seat. He is Program Administrator for the Poultry, Egg, Organic & Produce Section at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, and is also the owner of a Registered Angus Cattle operation. Mr. Buchwald is a 4-H & FFA Volunteer Leader, American Angus Association member, Oklahoma Farm Bureau member, and Oklahoma Cattleman’s Association member. He brings experience as an organic inspector and certifier. He holds a BS in Animal Sciences with a minor in Chemistry from Cameron University. |
Fall NOSB Meeting
Virtual NOSB Fall Public Meeting
- Day 1: Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Eastern
- Day 2: Wednesday, Oct. 28 from 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Eastern
- Day 3: Thursday, Oct. 29 from 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Eastern
Watch/Listen to the meeting virtually (use the same link for all three days): Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: https://www.zoomgov.com/s/1658909936
Webinar ID: 165 890 9936
One tap mobile:
+16692545252,,1658909936# US (San Jose)
+16468287666,,1658909936# US (New York)
The meetings are free, open to the public, and no registration is required. Please note time zones listed above and in the meeting agenda.
Meeting Resources are not available at time of going to press.
How to Participate
The deadline to submit written comments is 11:59 p.m. ET Oct. 1, 2026. You can submit written comments via Regulations.gov. (Docket # AMS-NOP-26-0892) or directly to Ms. Michelle Arsenault, Advisory Committee Specialist, National Organic Standards Board, USDA–AMS–NOP, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 2642–S, STOP 0268, Washington, DC 20250–0268; phone: (202) 997–0115; email: nosb@usda.gov.
Oral Comments
Oral comment registration is open. To register click: https://www.ams.usda.gov/form/nosb-virtual-registration .The deadline to register is 11:59 p.m. ET Oct. 1, 2026.
The comments will be presented virtually by zoom on Tuesday, October 20 and Thursday, October 22, 2026, from Noon - 5:00 pm Eastern.
Questions? Contact nosb@usda.gov or 202-997-0115
Posted: to Industry News on Sun, Sep 6, 2026
Updated: Sun, Sep 6, 2026