What Is USDA Certification?
USDA ORGANIC certification is a qualification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products including personal health care products.
The USDA was selected due to its strictest regulations that must meet the NOP (USDA's National Organic Program) standards, which includes the following:
💚 Ingredients that are free from synthetic chemicals: fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics or food additives or genetically modified organisms (GMO)
💚 Ingredients grown on farmland that has been free from chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers...etc.) for at least three years
💚 Keeping detailed written production and sales records (audit trail)
💚 Maintaining strict physical separation of certified organic products and non-certified
💚 Undergo periodic on-site inspections where organic products are grown, harvested, processed or manufactured
Label Requirements
The labeling requirements of the NOP apply to raw, fresh products and processed products that contain organic agricultural ingredients.
Agricultural products that are sold, labelled, or represented as organic must be produced and processed in accordance with the NOP standards as shown in the image here.
Not All Organic Certifications Are Equal!
The requirement to become USDA ORGANIC certified your product must be manufactured at a facility that has been NOP inspected and certified.
The USDA ORGANIC seal on the label is a prestigious statement of your products integrity, which reflects on your company high values and interests.
Using the USDA ORGANIC seal without authorization will result in penalties of up to $11,000 per violation when evidence shows that a business has violated the regulations, or has represented products as organic without certification
Why It Matters
A product claiming to be organic is very different from a product that is USDA ORGANIC certified.
The quality of the ingredients, of any product NOT certified, is unregulated which means, it may contain toxic preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified or contaminated...and many more unknowns.
USDA Organic ingredients are rigorously regulated and registered with the USDA database. These are the only ingredients allowed in the manufacture of skin care products that bear the USDA ORGANIC seal.
8 Simple Reasons
Clearing The Air
Here are some common questions and misconceptions we get about the USDA organic certification.
USDA is the same as FDA (Food & Drug Administration). No it is not. The USDA certifies organic ingredients for foods or manufacturing, the FDA controls food and drugs.
USDA Certified products are too expensive! This is not true, USDA Organic products are very affordable and effective, clean and healthy.
All certifications are equal! This is not a correct assumption. The USDA has very strict regulations while other certifiers tend to be more lenient and still allow harmful ingredients.