Can I use the “USDA Organic” seal? Yes, if you meet the USDA’s minimum requirements. All USDA Organic formulas must consist of at least 95% organically certified ingredients (excluding water and salt). Any remaining ingredients must be approved as organic compliant as defined by the USDA. Terms used on labels include “Organic” or “100 percent organic” if 100% of ingredients are organically certified. The USDA Organic seal may appear on product packages and in advertisements.

Any product labeled as organic must identify each organic ingredient in the ingredient list on the label. In addition, the name of the certifying agent must be displayed.

Are there other organic ingredient options? Yes, products may be labeled “made with organic ingredients”. To qualify, products must contain at least 70% organic ingredients. The percentage of organic content and the certifying agent seal may be used on the “face panel” of the label only. In this situation, the USDA seal cannot be used anywhere on the package.

If a product contains less than 70 % organic ingredients, the specific organic ingredients can be listed as such in the ingredients statement on the information panel only.

Are the requirements for organic certification uniform around the globe? Requirements for certification vary from country to country, and generally include production standards that encompass growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping. Any business in the food production chain can be certified. These businesses include seed suppliers, farmers, food processors, retailers, and restaurants. In the United States the governing organization is the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).