Regulations Of Organic Food

In 1990 Congress passed the Organic Food Production Act which required that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) establish national standards for the production and handling of organic foods. Organic food regulations were seen as necessary in order to prevent fraud and to support the public's right to know the ingredients in organic food as well as the methods used to produce and handle food.

The USDA created a national marketing program called the National Organic Plan with the purpose to provide a standardized national plan for certifying organic farms and organic products. The NOP is responsible for ensuring that organically labeled products meet the national standards. These standards took effect in April 2001 and have been enforced since October 2002. The NOP is administered by state and private organizations with the USDA acting as an overseer.

The NOP organic food regulations can be divided into production and handling standards and labeling standards. The NOP organic food regulations prohibit the use of genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, sewage sludge, artificial ingredients, and the use of most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in the production and handling of crops. The organic food regulations for animals or livestock prohibit the use of antibiotics or growth hormones. Animals must also be provided with conditions that maintain and promote health and welfare including organic feed, access to the outdoors and exercise, and sanitary and spacious living quarters.

The organic food regulations for labeling are based on the percentage of organic ingredients in a product. A product is allowed to display the USDA organic seal only if it meets the requirements for 100% organic. A product is labeled 100% only if it consists of only organically produced ingredients. A product is labeled organic if it consists of at least 95% organically produced ingredients. The NOP organic food regulations allows products consisting of at least 70% organically produced ingredients to be labeled made with organic ingredients. Products with less than 70% cannot not use the term organic.

According to organic food regulations, farms and handling operations have to meet certain requirements in order to be certified organic. The farmer or handler must submit an Organic Farm Plan or Organic Handling Plan to a USDA accredited private or state certification program. The Organic Plan must detail all current growing or handling methods and any materials that will be used. The certification agency then assesses the Organic Plan and also performs annual on-site inspections. Once these requirements are met and the farm or handler is judged by the certification agency as following NOP organic food regulations, the farm or handler is granted certification.