National Organic Standards Will Benefit Consumers
By Staff Writer

The year 2002 is a milestone year for the US. organic industry as it gears up for full implementation of national organic standards. With full implementation set for Oct. 21, 2002, there is much work remaining to prepare the industry and consumers on what to expect.

The standards, announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in December 2000, outline what is allowed in producing and handling organic products in the United States. The result: consistent standards for all organic products marketed in the United States. These will give consumers the assurance that any product labeled organic, in fact, has been grown and processed according to strict practices. Organic agriculture, for instance, prohibits the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge, and genetic engineering.In addition, with the rule, only qualified organic products can be imported into the United States, thus preventing false and mislabeled products from entering the country.

Producers and manufacturers using organic claims will have to be certified. Farms and handling-operations that sell less than $5,000 of organic agricultural products annually will be exempt from certification. However, they must comply with the national standards before they can label their products as organic. Penalties for those caught violating its provisions include fines up to $10,000 and up to five-years imprisonment. Between now and October 2002, consumers seeking organic products should continue to look for labels declaring the products are "certified organic.

Labeling
The new national organic standards allow four different labeling options based on the percentage of organic ingredients in a product. The first three categories prohibit the inclusion of any ingredients produced using genetic engineering, irradiation, or sewage sludge.

• 100 percent organic. Only products that have been exclusively produced using organic methods will be allowed to carry a label declaring "100 percent organic:'

• Organic. This will signify that at least 95 percent of the ingredients (by weight, excluding water and salt) in a processed product have been organically produced. The remaining contents can only be natural or synthetic ingredients allowed on the National List.

• Made with organic. Products with 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients may display "Made with Organic [with the specific ingredient or ingredients listed]" on the front panel.

Products with less than 70 percent organic ingredients would list the organic items in the ingredient panel.

To assist consumers, VSDA has designed a seal that may be used on products labeled as "100 percent organic" or "organic" once the rule is in force. Use of the seal will be voluntary. The actual percent of organic content may be displayed on all products, regardless of label category. However, the rule specifies the actual dimensions that are allowed in displaying the content, and the percentage for products with less than 70 organic ingredients can only be displayed in the information panel. In all four labeling categories, the product cannot use both organic and non-organic versions of the same ingredient.

National organic standards position the organic industry to grow the organic farm community, protecting the environment and protecting future generations. Having standards in place will facilitate and expand the marketing of organic products, both domestically and globally. Helpful web sites to consult for further information about the national organic standards include the USDA's National Organic Program website (www.ams.usda.gov/nop), and the Organic Trade Association's web site (www.ota.com).

National organic standards will be among the many topics featured at the Organic Trade Association's 2002 All Things Organic Conference and Trade Show, slated for May 8-11 at the Austin Convention Center, Austin, TX. For more details about this show, visit: www.ota.com/tradeshow