Ctr. for Food Safety v. Perdue

320 F. Supp. 3d 1101
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedMay 24, 2018
DocketCase No. 15-cv-01590-HSG
StatusPublished

This text of 320 F. Supp. 3d 1101 (Ctr. for Food Safety v. Perdue) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ctr. for Food Safety v. Perdue, 320 F. Supp. 3d 1101 (N.D. Cal. 2018).

Opinion

HAYWOOD S. GILLIAM, JR., United States District Judge

On April 7, 2015, a collective of non-profit organizations and commercial entities ("Plaintiffs") brought suit against representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture ("USDA"), the Agricultural Marketing Service, and the National Organic Program ("NOP") (collectively, "Defendants"), asserting claims for declaratory and injunctive relief under the Administrative Procedures Act ("APA"), 5 U.S.C. § 553, and the Organic Foods Production Act ("OFPA"), 7 U.S.C. §§ 6501 - 6523. Currently pending before the Court are the parties' motions for summary judgment. See Dkt. Nos. 96 ("Defs. Mot."), 97 ("Pls. Mot."), 99 ("Defs. Opp."), 100 ("Pls. Opp."). On November 9, 2017, the Court heard argument on the motions. After carefully considering the parties' arguments, the Court GRANTS Defendant's motion for summary judgment, and DENIES Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment.

I. BACKGROUND

The basic facts are not in dispute. This case arises from a notice ("the Sunset Notice" or "the Notice") promulgated by USDA that alters the review process for determining which substances may be used in food certified as "organic" under the OFPA. The OFPA requires the Secretary of Agriculture ("the Secretary") to establish a "National List" of substances that fall into specific groupings, including synthetic substances permitted to be used in organic products (referred to as "exempted substances"), and non-synthetic substances that are prohibited from use in organic products (referred to as "prohibited substances"). See Defs. Mot. at 2; 7 U.S.C. § 6517(b) - (c). The OFPA requires the National Organic Standards Board ("NOSB") to develop the National List for submission to the Secretary. The NOSB is composed of fifteen members appointed by the Secretary. The Secretary cannot exempt a synthetic substance unless the *1103NOSB proposes to do so. 7 U.S.C. § 6517(d).

The OFPA also contains a "sunset provision," which provides that no substances on the National List are "valid unless the [NOSB] has reviewed such exemption or prohibition as provided in this section within 5 years." 7 U.S.C. § 6517(e). Prior to the Notice that triggered this lawsuit, USDA's regulations required the NOSB to consider public comments and vote on "the continuation of specific exemptions and prohibitions contained on the National List." NOP, Sunset Review, 70 Fed. Reg. 35,177 at 35,178 (June 17, 2005). Under that framework, a vote of two-thirds of the NOSB was required to recommend that a substance be renewed. See 7 U.S.C. § 6518(i). If two-thirds of the NOSB did not favor renewal, the substance expired and the Secretary was required to remove the substance from the National List. See Pls. Mot. at 5; 7 U.S.C. § 6517(d).

The USDA's September 16, 2013 notice enacted a new eight-step sunset review procedure. NOP, Sunset Process, 78 Fed. Reg. 56,811, 56,812 (Sept. 16, 2013). Pursuant to that new procedure, the full NOSB does not vote to renew each substance on the National List. Id. at 56,814. Instead, a NOSB subcommittee examines each substance set for sunset review and proposes to the full NOSB a list of substances to be removed from the National List. Id. It is only those substances that a NOSB subcommittee member proposes for removal, and that a member of the NOSB subsequently moves to remove, that are voted upon by the full NOSB. Id. A motion to remove must receive two-thirds of the votes cast by the NOSB to pass. See Defs. Mot. at 6. Once all motions have been voted on, the full NOSB completes its sunset review. 78 Fed. Reg. 56,814.

Following the NOSB's final vote, the NOSB Chair compiles all reviews and recommendations for removal, and transmits it to USDA for consideration. Id. USDA then examines this document, and if it elects to renew substances that have undergone sunset review, USDA publishes in the Federal Register a list of all substances that are renewed for another five years on the National List. Id. If USDA initiates a proposed removal of a substance from the National List, USDA publishes in the Federal Register the proposal to remove a substance and requests public comment. Id. at 56,815. Based on comments received, USDA determines whether to finalize a substance's removal from the National List. Id.

Following issuance of the Notice, Plaintiffs filed this action for declaratory and injunctive relief. See Dkt. No. 1. On July 17, 2015, Defendants moved to dismiss the complaint for lack of jurisdiction, or alternatively, for failure to state a claim. Dkt. No. 16.

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320 F. Supp. 3d 1101, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ctr-for-food-safety-v-perdue-cand-2018.