Consumers Soon Will See Organic Seal

On Oct. 21, consumers will see the official USDA Organic Seal on organically grown agricultural products that are certified to be 100 percent organic or on products certified to contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. This long-awaited program will set national standards for the production, handling and processing of organic crops, produce, livestock and poultry.

National standards on organically produced foods have been in development since 1990, when the Organic Food Production Act was passed as part of the Farm Bill. After the act was passed it took seven years for initial regulations to be formulated and proposed.

USDA issued a final rule Dec. 21, 2000, specifying national standards for the production, handling, and processing of organically grown agricultural products, including beef.

Livestock products that are to be sold, labeled or represented as organic must be from livestock under continuous organic management from the last third of gestation. Additionally, the use of animal drugs, including hormones to promote growth, plastic pellets for roughage, feed formulas containing urea or manure and the feeding of mammalian byproducts are prohibited.

Organic livestock producers also must establish and maintain preventive livestock health care practices. These include the selection of species and types of livestock suited to living conditions, the provision of a feed ration sufficient to meet nutritional requirements, and the establishment of appropriate housing, pasture conditions, and sanitation practices to minimize the occurrence and spread of diseases and parasites. The use of most vaccines and other veterinary biologics is prohibited.

Maintenance of suitable living conditions includes access to the outdoors, shade, shelter, exercise areas, fresh air, and direct sunlight suitable to the species, access to pasture, appropriate clean, dry bedding, and shelter with temperature level, ventilation, and air circulation also suitable to the species.

The rule also details the methods, practices and substances that can be used in producing and handling organic crops and livestock. Products may not be labeled as organic if they are produced with the use of pesticides, irradiation, genetic engineering, growth hormones or sewage sludge. All agricultural products labeled organic must originate from farms or handling operations certified by a state or private agency accredited by USDA. However, farms and handling operations that sell less than $5,000 worth per year of organic agricultural products are exempt from certification.

The rule is available on the Web at <http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop>.