New Regulations Released For Organic Foods - Brief Article

Vegetarian Journal, May, 2001 by Reed Mangels

On December 20, 2000, the USDA announced the final national standards for the production, handling, and processing of organically-grown agricultural products. When organic standards were first proposed, there was a tremendous outcry because the proposed standards allowed genetically engineered foods, irradiated foods, and foods grown with sewage sludge to be defined as organic. More than 275,000 public comments were received by USDA (including comments from The Vegetarian Resource Group) protesting the proposed standards. The final standards incorporate many of the comments and prohibit the use of genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, and sewage sludge in organic production.

New labeling regulations for organic products have been developed. In order for a product to be labeled "100 percent organic" it must contain only organically produced ingredients (with the exception of water and salt). A product labeled "organic" must contain at least 95% organically produced ingredients and any remaining ingredients must be not commercially available in organic form. Products containing at least 70% organic ingredients can be labeled "made ,with organic ingredients" and the remaining ingredients cannot be genetically engineered; irradiated, or use sewage sludge. Products that contain less than 70% organic ingredients cannot have anything on the display part of the label that says "organic." The ingredient list on the label can identify ingredients that are organically produced. Products that are labeled "100 percent organic" or "organic" may use a special seal from the USDA that identifies the product as "USDA Organic."

These rules will be fully implemented by mid-2002, at which point we will begin to see USDA's seal on organic products.

National Organic Program, <www.ams.usda.gov/nop/>