USDA Increasing Oversight of Organic Foods

The Agriculture Department has announced new guidelines for products labeled “organic,” which is a term that has been increasingly misused as shoppers have sought out healthier, environmentally friendly food.

The USDA has strict definitions of how a product can be labeled “certified organic” since the rules were introduced in 1990. They allow the label to be used only for products that meet certain standards for soil quality, animal-raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. The new updates issued by the USDA aim to protect organic integrity, bolster consumer confidence and eliminate ingredients that don’t meet the criteria to be used.

“Protecting and growing the organic sector and the trusted USDA organic seal is a key part of the USDA Food Systems Transformation initiative,” said Jenny Lester Moffitt, undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs in a press release announcing the move.

“The Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule is the biggest update to the organic regulations since the original Act in 1990, providing a significant increase in oversight and enforcement authority to reinforce the trust of consumers, farmers, and those transitioning to organic production,” Moffitt added.

Key changes will include requiring certification of more of the businesses, like brokers and traders, at critical links in organic supply chains; requiring National Organic Program (NOP) Import Certificates for all organic imports; requiring organic identification on non-retail containers; standardized certificates of organic operation, and additional and more frequent reporting of data on certified organic operations.