USDA Organic Standards are like a set of rules that help farmers grow food in a healthy way. These rules make sure that when you see “USDA Organic” on a label, the food has been made with care for both people and the planet.
it means it has to meet special guidelines. These guidelines say that farmers can’t use harmful chemicals like synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Instead, they use natural methods to keep the soil healthy and the plants strong. For example, they might use compost or crop rotation.
Organic Crop Production Standards
The organic crop production standards are like special rules for growing healthy food without harmful chemicals. Here’s a simple breakdown of what these standards say:
Land Requirements
- No Harmful Chemicals: The land where organic crops are grown must not have any bad substances, like pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, used on it for at least three years before harvesting. This helps keep the soil clean and safe for plants.
Soil Health
- Natural Fertility: Farmers must take care of the soil using methods like tilling, rotating crops, and planting cover crops. They can also use animal waste and some allowed synthetic materials to keep the soil rich in nutrients.
Pest Control
- Natural Methods First: To manage pests, weeds, and diseases, farmers should use natural methods like physical barriers, mechanical tools, and biological controls. If these methods don’t work well enough, they can use certain approved substances that are safe for organic farming.
Seeds and Plants
- Use Organic Seeds: When possible, farmers must use organic seeds and planting materials. This helps ensure that the crops are truly organic from the start.
Prohibited Practices
- No Genetic Engineering: Farmers cannot use genetic engineering (like GMOs), ionizing radiation, or sewage sludge in organic farming. This keeps the crops as natural as possible.
These rules help protect our environment and ensure that the food we eat is safe and healthy!
Livestock and poultry standards
Livestock and poultry standards are rules that help ensure animals raised for food are treated well and are healthy. These standards apply to animals used for meat, milk, eggs, and other products that are labeled as organic. Here’s a friendly breakdown of what these standards mean:
Organic Management
- Starting Early: Dairy animals and those meant for slaughter must be raised organically from the last third of their pregnancy. For poultry, they should be raised this way from the second day after they hatch.
- Transitioning: If a farm is not organic yet, it can switch some animals to organic over a year.
Feeding and Health
- Organic Feed: Animals must eat food that is 100% organic. They can also have some allowed vitamins and minerals.
- Healthy Practices: Farmers need to keep their animals healthy. They cannot ignore sick or hurt animals. If an animal gets treated with something not allowed in organic farming, it cannot be sold as organic.
Living Conditions
- Pasture Time: Ruminants (like cows) must spend at least 120 days outside during the grazing season and get at least 30% of their food from pasture.
- Outdoor Access: All organic livestock and poultry should have access to the outdoors all year round. They can only be kept inside temporarily for health or environmental reasons.
These standards help make sure that when you buy organic meat, milk, or eggs, you’re getting products from animals that were raised in a caring environment. It’s all about keeping the animals happy and healthy!
Handling Standards for Organic Products
Let’s talk about how we handle organic products! There are some important rules to follow.
Ingredients Matter
- Allowed Ingredients: All ingredients that aren’t from farms (like synthetic ones) must be on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. This list tells us what we can and can’t use.
- Multi-Ingredient Products: If a product is labeled as “organic,” all its farm ingredients must be organic too. But if some ingredients aren’t available in organic form, they can still be used. These special ingredients are listed in Section 205.606.
Keeping Organic Separate
Handlers need to be careful! They must make sure that organic products don’t mix with non-organic ones. It’s also important to keep organic items away from anything that isn’t allowed.
Labeling Multi-Ingredient Products
Now, let’s look at how we label these products:
- Organic Products: If a product is sold as organic, it must have at least 95% certified organic content. That means most of what’s in it comes from organic farms!
- “Made With” Organic Products: If a product says “made with organic,” it needs at least 70% certified organic content. But guess what? It can’t use the USDA organic seal.
- Less Than 70% Organic: If a product has less than 70% organic content, it can still say which ingredients are organic on the label.
These rules help us know what we’re buying and ensure that organic products are handled properly. It’s all about keeping things safe and health
Reference- https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/organic-standards