Making Sense of Alternative Organic Labels
Fact Sheet | Making Sense of Alternative Organic Labels
USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC
What is it?
Organic agriculture emerged in the early 20th century in response to the advent of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. As farmers used more chemicals and purchased inputs to feed plants and manage insects and disease, there were those who preferred lower-input and more management-intensive methods. This style of farming was termed ‘organic’ by British practitioners in the 1940s.
By the late 1980s, many different state-run and private organic labeling programs existed throughout the country. These were often volunteer and farmer-run. They each had unique regulations that were sometimes conflicting, leading to confusion among consumers. As a result, the organic community saw a benefit in having one common federal standard, a certification with consistent standards that consumers could trust.
In 1990, Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), which required the USDA to create uniform standards for organic production and processing. After 10 years of public debate, the organic regulations were finalized as the National Organic Program (NOP), going into effect in 2002.
USDA organic mandates an ecological approach to farming, requiring practices such as crop rotation, preventative management of pests and diseases, and access to the outdoors for livestock. In many ways, the label is also defined by what it prohibits, such as synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, sewage sludge, and irradiation. Farms are inspected and certified by third-party Certifying Agents who are regulated and accredited by the NOP.
The NOP is governed by federal regulations and is federally enforced, meaning that there are fines and possible jail time for willfully violating the rules. Also, because it is federally-managed and requires an act of Congress to change the law, the NOP can’t change at the whim of a label owner or manager, as other certifications can. For all of these reasons, USDA organic is robust, it has teeth, and though sometimes slow-moving, it is a strong program that has led to where we are now in 2024: a $60 billion dollar organic industry with over 26,000 certified organic farms.
How does it work?
Land is eligible for organic certification 36 months after the last application of a prohibited substance to the production area. This transition period is often a challenging time for farmers, when they must follow organic practices but are not yet certified and cannot receive the organic market price. In the third year of the transition period, farmers choose a certifier, complete a detailed Organic Systems Plan (OSP), and then receive an initial inspection. Farmers often benefit from using an organic advisor to guide their transition because of all the details in certification and the many production practices that are new to conventional farmers.
This logo signifies a product is certified ‘Transitional’
REAL ORGANIC PROJECT CERTIFIED
What is it?
From the beginning of the USDA National Organic Program, there have been disagreements about things like certifying hydroponically-grown produce and pasture access for animals. Because USDA is primarily a process certification concerned with what is NOT used, as long as hydroponic producers do not use prohibited substances, their produce can be certified organic. Many farmers and consumers believe the USDA organic regulations are watered-down by the interests of large producers who want to “cash-in” on consumer interest in organic. The Real Organic Project (ROP) was developed largely as a response to the perceived shortcomings of the USDA organic regulations.
How does it work?
The 23-page standards document lays out what the ROP founders see as missing from the USDA organic program, including detailed requirements for livestock management, ‘grown in the ground’ crops, greenhouse production, and hired labor protections. ROP is an ‘add-on’ label that requires farms to first be certified USDA organic.
It takes about 30 minutes to fill out an application and no records or receipts are required (because the farmer is already certified organic). If approved, ROP conducts an in-person inspection of the farm.
NON-GMO PROJECT VERIFIED
What is it?
Certifications respond to society and consumer interests. With the rise of genetically modified crops in the 1990s, some consumers wanted food that was Non-GMO but not necessarily organic. The Non-GMO Project arose to certify that food does not contain GMOs, but says nothing about the other practices and inputs used to produce the food.
How does it work?
Farmers choose one of four technical administrations, and work with them to certify their products.
TAKE AWAY
Because federal organic regulations prohibit GMOs, all products certified under USDA organic must not contain GMOs. Products are not routinely tested for GMOs during USDA organic inspection. Non-GMO Project evaluates each product instead of the system that produced it, meaning it can act as another backstop against contamination
or fraud.
Though these certifications overlap in some ways, many products will carry both labels, since many consumers aren’t aware that USDA organic products are Non-GMO. Consumers often appreciate products that are both Non-GMO Project Verified and USDA Organic Certified. Together the certifications provide a process certification and a product certification. Rather than competing, USDA organic and Non-GMO tend to work together, adding value by increasing consumer confidence in the products they certify. Certifications are driven by consumer preferences and perceptions.
REGENERATIVE ORGANIC CERTIFIED
What is it?
Some individuals and organizations within the organic community think that the focus on prohibiting inputs in USDA organic loses sight of ‘regeneration’, and improving land and society through farming methods.
Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) was established in 2017 by a group of farmers, businesses, and experts in soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. It is an add-on certificate; to become ROC certified, a farm or company must first be USDA certified organic. ROC uses the USDA organic standard as a baseline, and from there it adds more criteria based on three pillars of regenerative organic agriculture: soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Whereas USDA organic has few regulations concerning social fairness in production, this is a focus of ROC. ROC includes standards on: democratic organizations, fair payments to farmers, living wages for workers, freedom of association, no forced labor, and transparency.
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How does it work?
Once a farmer is certified USDA organic, they can apply for ROC. The organization contracts with third-party certifiers who work with the farmer to conduct an inspection and issue certification. For a small farmer, ROC may not be much different than their organic certification. However, for larger farms or corporate farms, the animal welfare and social fairness requirements may require significant changes and investments.
THE REGENERATIVE LABELS
‘Regenerative’ agricultural practices have arisen that are often related to but different from USDA organic practices. For example, while organic prioritizes not using herbicides, regenerative prioritizes low and no-till to promote soil health. There are several ‘Regenerative’ certifying programs.
Some worry that these regenerative labels may endanger USDA organic by stealing market share, display space, or further confusing label-fatigued consumers. Others are upset with regenerative labels that they see as overlapping with USDA organic regulations and worry that the mere existence of these alternative labels may be seen by consumers as a claim that organic is not regenerative. Indeed, some regenerative labels might agree with this. For them, the dependence on tillage for producing most organic crops, for instance, is evidence enough for some regenerative advocates that an alternative to organic is needed.
These Regenerative labels are new, and so market penetration is unclear, though large companies are beginning to adopt them. Although they currently pale in comparison to the 26,000+ USDA organic farms, their popularity will likely continue to grow, so stay tuned.
Some examples of these newer regenerative labels are:
• The Regenified label uses both process certification and soil testing to confirm that the required agronomic practices are having a positive effect.
• The Land-to-Market Verified label focuses on outcomes as opposed to practices.
• Certified Regenerative looks at many familiar regenerative principles but prohibits the use of glyphosate and nitrogen fertilizers.
This logo signifies a product is ‘Certified Regenified’
This logo signifies a product is ‘Land to Market Certified’
These Regenerative labels are new, and so market penetration is unclear, though large companies are beginning to adopt them. Although they currently pale in comparison to the 26,000+ USDA organic farms, their popularity will likely continue to grow, so stay tuned.
BREAKING DOWN THE LABELS
Research reported in this publication was supported by The Organic Center and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research under award number TOCFFAR-EXT-002. The content of this publication is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of The Organic Center and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research.