The Origin of Livestock Rule is needed to uphold consumers’ expectations about organic dairy by specifying that organic dairy animals must be raised organically from the last third of gestation or be raised organically for one year if transitioning a conventional herd to organic, which is allowed only once. Once a distinct herd is transitioned to organic, all animals must be raised organically from the last third of gestation. It must be prohibited to cycle dairy animals in and out of organic production.
