U.S. strengthens organic labeling rules

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued new rules on certified "organic" food, designed to limit fraud.

The goal is to "strengthen the confidence of farmers and consumers" in this small symbol called"organic", and affixed to products that are supposed to contain at least 95% of organic ingredients, from environmentally friendly practices, without genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and produced without certain pesticides or antibiotics for animals.

That's what the U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) says on January 19, 2023, when it released new rules on organic certification.

Increased import controls

The new text, which is scheduled to take effect in March, represents the most significant update to organic food rules since they were first introduced in 1990, the department says.

It provides for increased control of so-called organic imports - the rules may be different in other countries that are less fussy - reinforced inspections and better traceability from farm to market.

A market worth over $57 million

"The need for this regulation is driven by the growth of the organic market and the increasing complexity of organic supply chains," the ministry said.

According to theOrganic Trade Association (OTA), organic food sales have more than doubled in ten years to $57.5 billion in 2021

The organization welcomed the new rules, saying in a statement that they will better "deter and detect fraud and protect the integrity of organic food throughout the supply chain.

Conventional sold at organic prices

For example, the U.S. Department of Justice accused several companies and individuals based in Dubai or Turkey of having, between 2015 and 2017, purchased conventional soybeans and corn in Eastern Europe in order to resell it in the United States under the organic label, taking advantage of higher tariffs in the process.

"When fraudsters abuse the system, they cast doubt on the integrity of the organic label and jeopardize the future of the industry as a whole," said Chellie Pingree, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives and organic farmer.

Following the rules of the label "takes time and money," she said in a statement. And for consumers, organic food is often more expensive.

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^{Source : lafranceagricole.fr}‍