Organic Foods: New Standards Proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing comprehensive new standards and regulations about what foods can be labeled organic. The revisions to the standards in the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 were written in response to 275,000 comments from consumers, organic farmers, and others.

The proposal aims to provide a single national definition for the term "organic." Currently, organic food is certified by various private and state organizations that each use their own standards for what constitutes an organic product. This results in considerable confusion for the consumer. The new rules should lead to consistent and accurate labeling of organic vegetables, fruit, meats, as well as processed products with one or more organically grown ingredient.

The proposal is also quite detailed about the methods, practices, and substances that can be used in producing and handling organic crops, livestock, and processed products. Use of genetic engineering, sewage sludge for fertilizer, and irradiation in the production of food products labeled organic are prohibited. Organic livestock must be fed a 100% organic diet, and antibiotics cannot be administered.

The new labeling requirements are based on the percentage of organic ingredients in a product.

• Foods labeled 100% organic. Food with this label must consist of at least 95% organically produced raw or processed ingredients (excluding water and salt). Any remaining product ingredients must consist of nonagricultural substances or non-organically produced agricultural products approved in the National List of Allowed Synthetic and Prohibited Non-Synthetic Substances.
• Processed products made with organic ingredients. Products that contain 50-95% organic ingredients can use the phrase "made with organic ingredients" and their labels can list up to three of the organic ingredients.
• Processed products that contain less than 50% organic ingredients. These products cannot make any organic labeling claim on their main label. The nutrition and ingredients information panel can designate any specific ingredients that are organically produced.

The new program also adjusts requirements for the certification and accreditation of organic growers. Overall the new standards should facilitate the business of organic agriculture in the US, and international trade of organically grown products.

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