Making sense of organic labeling can be difficult, and many consumers do not understand the
significance of the USDA Organic label. Since October 21, 2002, the following guidelines
were established by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
National
Organic Program (NOP) to assure consumers know the exact organic content of the food
they buy.
Single-Ingredient Foods - On foods like fruits and
vegetables, look for a small sticker version of the USDA Organic label or check the signage
in your produce section for this seal. The word "organic" and the seal may also appear on
packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese, and other single-ingredient foods.
Multi-Ingredient Foods - Foods such as beverages,
snacks, and other processed foods use the following classification system to indicate their
use of organic ingredients.
100% Organic - Foods bearing this label are made with
100% organic ingredients* and may display the USDA Organic seal.
Organic - These products contain at least 95?99% organic
ingredients (by weight). The remaining ingredients are not available organically but have been
approved by the NOP. These products may display the USDA Organic seal.
Made With Organic Ingredients - Food packaging that reads
"Made With Organic Ingredients" must contain 70?94% organic ingredients. These products will
not bear the USDA Organic seal; instead, they may list up to three ingredients on the front
of the packaging.
Other - Products with less than 70% organic ingredients
may only list organic ingredients on the information panel of the packaging. These products
will not bear the USDA Organic seal.
Keep in mind that even if a producer is certified organic, the use of the USDA Organic label
is voluntary. At the same time, not everyone goes through the rigorous process of becoming
certified, especially smaller farming operations. When shopping at a farmers' market, for
example, don't hesitate to ask the vendors how your food was grown.
