Who “Certifies” organic farms and produce?
Certifications are granted by a third-party organization. Strict production methods and processes must be followed and private inspections are performed regularly of the livestock, crops, buildings, and processing/packaging systems. Periodic testing of both the water and soil are also performed and recorded. This ensures that the high standards for organic agriculture are being met on an on-going basis. For example, no prohibited substances are to have been used on the land in the past three years to being an organic farm. To see a list of approved synthetic and prohibited non-synthetic substances, view the organic agriculture background requirements. In the US, the Federal Government currently legislates standards, processes and certifications through the Organic Food Production Act of 1990 (OFPA). The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) also provided detailed regulations in 2002 that requires any food labelled “Organic” must meet these national standards. The USDA provides consumer i
