Allowed and Prohibited Substances
List of Allowed, Prohibited, and Restricted Substances for Produce and Livestock
The following is a list of some commonly-used substances that are Allowed, Restricted, and Prohibited in the CNG Program. This list is NOT exhaustive, but is meant to give producers and consumers a better idea of our standards and address some common questions.
Because certain substances are allowed for particular uses, but not others, this list is organized by use: Fertility and Soil Amendments, Plant Pests and Diseases, Weed Control, Livestock External Parasiticides, Livestock Feed Additives, and Livestock Health. (Print this page.)
The National List of Allowed & Prohibited Substances lists the NOPs exceptions to the rules that synthetic materials aren't allowed, and non-synthetic materials are allowed.
ALLOWED
Fertility and Soil Amendments - Allowed Substances
Animal and plant products such as
-bone, blood, and feather meal
-alfalfa and soybean meal
-fish emulsion
-molasses
-neem
-yucca
Compost- [NOTE: for plant materials, must be heated to at least 131°F (55°C) for at least 3 days. For compost containing animal and plant materials, must be heated to 131°-170°F for at least 15 days and must be turned 5 times.]
Compost tea – [NOTE: same restrictions as raw manure – “It may only be (i) applied to land used for a crop not intended for human consumption;(ii) incorporated into the soil not less than 120 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion has direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles; or (iii) incorporated into the soil not less than 90 days prior to the harvest of a product whose edible portion does not have direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles.]”
Cover crops
Rock minerals such as
-High-calcium aglime
-Dolomitic limestone
-Rock phosphates
-Gypsum
-Sulfate of potash-magnesia
-Mined potassium sulfate
-Greensand or glauconite
-Glacial gravel dust
-Lava sand
-Granite meal
Plant Pests and Diseases - Allowed Substances
Biological and microbial products such as
-Bacilus thuringiensis (Able©, Bt©, Dipel©, Deliver©, Foray©)
-Bacillus subtilis (Serenade©)
-Beauveria bassiana (Mycotrol©)
-Coniothyrium minitans(Contans©)
-Myrothecium verrucaria(DiTera©)
Diatomaceous earth
Hydrogen Peroxide - for plant disease control or disinfecting equipment only
Minerals such as
-Elemental sulfur
-Bicarbonate, potassium or sodium
-Kaolin clay (Surround WP©)
Oils - narrow range petroleum, vegetable and fish oils are allowed for insect and pest control during the dormant and growing seasons
Pheromones and pheromone traps
Plant-derived substances such as
-Neem
-Pyrethrum
-Caraway oil
-Seed fennel
-Corn gluten
-Garlic
-Quassia
-Equisetum
-Ryania
Soaps - non-detergent only; for food crops only; as a pesticide, fungicide, or algaecide. If used as herbicide, must be used only on non-food plants or around buildings, roadways, etc. Cannot be used for disease control
Streptomycin Sulfate and Tetracycline- only for fire blight in apples and pears
Sticky Traps
Sulfur dioxide—underground rodent control only (smoke bombs)
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) – for rodent control
Weed Control - Allowed Substances
Mulch such as
-Biodegradable plastic
-Paper that is not glossy and does not have colored ink
-Plastic mulch, so long as it is removed
-Straw
Livestock External Parasiticides - Allowed Substances
Biologicals such as
-Spinosad (NatularTM)
-Pyrethrum (EquisectTM)
Essential oils
-Citronella
-Grapeseed
-Jojoba
-Lemongrass
-Soybean oil
Livestock Feed Additives - Allowed Substances
*NOTE: these “may not be used in amounts above those needed for adequate nutrition and health maintenance at its specific stage in life. May not be used to stimulate growth or production.”*
Diatomaceous earth
Fish meal
Kelp and seaweed meal
Minerals such as
-Calcium
-Carbon
-Cobalt
-Copper
-Iron
-Magnesium
-Manganese
-Phosphate
-Potassium
-Sodium
-Sulfur
-Zinc
Probiotics –NOTE: some products can be fed routinely, while others can only be administered in case of illness
Salt
Synthetic
-Phosphorus
-Selenium
Yeast
Yucca
Livestock Health - Allowed Substances
Aspirin - to reduce inflammation
Colostrum/Whey Antibodies
Essential oils such as
-Eucalyptus
-Lemon
-Oregano
-Thymol
Glycerin—“must be produced through the hydrolysis of fats or oils.”
Iodine -topical
Mineral oil -topical
Oxytocin
Probiotics –NOTE: some products can be fed routinely, while others can only be administered in case of illness
Vaccines
PROHIBITED
Fertility and Soil Amendments - Prohibited Substances
Ash from manure burning
Chemically-processed minerals, including quick lime, sugar lime
Compost with sewage sludge, synthetic compost starter, glossy paper, paper with colored ink
Synthetic fertilizers
Plant Pests and Diseases - Prohibited Substances
Rotenone
Detergent-based soap products
Synthetic wetting agents
Nicotine sulfate and other tobacco products
Heavy metal-based pesticides
Most synthetic insecticides, fungicides, miticides
Weed Management - Prohibited Substances
Most synthetic herbicides
Heavy metal herbicides
Micronutrient-based herbicides
Soap-based herbicides
Paper mulch with glossy paper or paper with colored ink
Livestock External Parasiticides - Prohibited Substances
Parasiticides are prohibited
Livestock Feed Additives - Prohibited Substances
Feed grown or treated with synthetic fertilizers or pesticides
Genetically modified feed or probiotics
Slaughter bi-products, urea and manure re-feeding
Livestock Health - Prohibited Substances
Ivermectin (for slaughter stock)
Antibiotics
Genetically modified probiotics
Most conventional veterinary medications
RESTRICTED
Fertility and Soil Amendments – Restricted Substances
High salt content fertilizers such as sodium nitrate, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride –must have a plan to limit salt accumulation
Sodium (Chilean) nitrate -must not account for more than 20% of crop’s total N requirement
Synthetic micronutrients – use is permitted if there is a documented deficiency
Micronutrients— may only be used for fertility, and there must be a documented deficiency. Micronutrients made from nitrates or chlorides are prohibited
Raw manure – must be applied 120 days before harvest
Plant Pests and Diseases - Restricted Substances
Copper –must be used in a manner that prevents accumulation in the soil
Boric acid—only if there is no direct contact with organic food or crops
Soaps - only non-detergent soaps can be used; can only be used as a pesticide, fungicide, or algaecide on food crops cannot be used for disease control. If used as herbicide, must be used only on non-food plants or around buildings, roadways, etc.
Weed Management - Restricted Substances
Herbicidal soaps – must not come into contact with crops, only for controlling weeds around buildings and roadways
Livestock Health - Restricted Substances
Invermectin (for dairy stock and breeder stock) – only for emergency treatment, milk products from a treated animal may not be marketed as CNG for 90 days. For breeder stock, must not be used during the third trimester. It is prohibited for use on slaughter stock.
Atrophine –only by lawful written order of veterinarian and with a meat withdrawal period of 56 days for slaughter stock, and milk discard of 12 days for dairy
Butorphanol - only by lawful written order of veterinarian and with a meat withdrawal period of 42 days for slaughter stock, and milk discard of 8 days for dairy
Poloxalene - only for emergency treatment of bloat.
Methionine -“for use only in organic poultry production until October 1, 2012, at the following maximum levels of synthetic methionine per ton of feed: laying chickens—4 pounds; broiler chickens—5 pounds; turkeys and all other poultry—6 pounds.”
