Industry-supported efforts to update organic food standards could finally move forward after being held at a standstill for years by the US Department of Agriculture if bipartisan legislation introduced in the House late last week becomes law. The Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act (CIAO) introduced April 30 by members of the House Organic Caucus, including Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., would require USDA to issue a final rule implementing within two years recommendations passed by the National Organic Standards Board, which advises the agency on oversight of the National Organic Program. It also would require USDA to clear a backlog of recommendations NOSB made to improve the organic program, including 20 that have been made in the past 10 years that have not been finalized through rulemaking, according to the Organic Trade Association.