What Does Our USDA ORGANIC Certification Mean?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has put in place a set of national standards that food labeled
organic must meet, whether it is grown in the United States or imported from other countries. When you
buy food labeled organic, you can be sure that it was produced using the highest organic production and
handling standards in the world.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has fifty five certifying agencies for organic handlers in the United
States. These agencies inspect the farms and manufacturing facilities where the food is grown and
manufactured on a yearly basis. The agency that certifies our manufacturing facility is the Rhode Island
Department of Environmental Management.
In addition, we are required to keep an audit trail. This means, for example, that if we receive 1 ton of
organic flour from our suppliers during the year, and we bake a product which contains 25% by weight of
flour, then this ton of flour will be used to bake 4 tons of product. At the end of the year our sales invoices
must show that we sold 4 tons of the product for every ton of flour on our suppliers' invoices. The audit trail
applies to each organic ingredient that we use. This helps prevent a manufacturer or handler from buying
non-organic ingredients and then selling the finished product as organic.
We are also required to keep our baked organic products and our organic ingredients on shelves which
are separate from our non-organic products to ensure that no commingling between organic and non-
organic ingredients occurs.
What is organic food?
Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the
conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat,
poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.
Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic
ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled
organic, a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the
farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or
process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.
Is organic food better for me and my family?
The USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally
produced food. Organic food differs from conventionally produced food in the way it is grown, handled, and
processed.
When I go to the supermarket, how can I tell organically produced food from conventionally produced
food?
You must look at package labels and watch for signs in the supermarket. Along with the national organic
standards, USDA developed strict labeling rules to help consumers know the exact organic content of the
food they buy. The USDA Organic seal (displayed below) also tells you that a product is at least 95 percent
organic.
How do I know if single-ingredient foods are organic?
Look for the word organic and a small sticker version of the USDA Organic seal on vegetables or pieces
of fruit. Or they may appear on the sign above the organic produce display. The word organic and the seal
may also appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese, and other single-ingredient foods.
Can foods with more than one ingredient be labelled organic?
The short answer is yes. There are four labeling categories:
- Products that contain 100% organic ingredients (not counting salt and water) may display the term
100% Organic on the front of the box or container and may display the USDA organic seal. They
must also show on the information panel the name and address of the handler of the finished
product and the name of the organic certifying agency approved by the USDA. - Products (cookies, cereal, etc.) that contain between 95% and 99% organic ingredients by weight
may display the term Organic (Cookies, Cereal, etc.) on the front of the box or container, and may
display the USDA organic seal. The product cannot contain added sulfites and must also show on
the information panel the name and address of the handler of the finished product and the name
of the organic certifying agency approved by the USDA. - Products that contain between 70% and 94% organic ingredients may not use the term Organic
(Cookies, Cereal, etc.) on the front panel. However, they may contain the statement Made with
Organic Ingredients on the front of the box or container. The product cannot display the USDA
organic seal. Additionally, the product cannot contain added sulfites and must also show on the
information panel the name and address of the handler of the finished product and the name of
the organic certifying agency approved by the USDA. - Products that contain organic ingredients amounting to less than 70% by weight may list specific
organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package, but may not make any organic
claims on the front of the package. These products cannot display the USDA organic seal.
Remember, look for the name and address of the Government-Approved Certifier on all packaged
products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients.
Will I find the USDA Organic seal on all 100 percent organic products, or products with at least 95
percent organic ingredients?
No. The use of the seal is voluntary.
How is use of the USDA Organic seal protected?
People who sell or label a product as organic when they know it does not meet USDA standards can be
fined up to $10,000 for each violation. Only products whose organic ingredients total 95% (or above) by
weight may exhibit the USDA seal. In addition, only manufacturers, handlers and growers certified by
agencies (there are fifty five of them in the United States and forty two overseas) approved by the USDA
may use or exhibit the USDA seal on a product.
Does natural mean organic?
No. Natural and organic are not interchangeable. Other truthful claims, such as free-range, hormone-free,
and natural, can still appear on food labels. However, don't confuse these terms with organic. Only food
labeled organic has been certified as meeting USDA organic standards.
Further information can be found in The O'Mama Report about Organic Food.
Comanzo & Co. Artisan Bakers
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