The true practitioners of organic farming sensing that not having a definition would only hurt the fledgling industry went to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and asked to be regulated. As part of a 1990 Farm Bill, the USDA introduced the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA). The act authorized the formation of the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) in order to implement the requirements set forth in OFPA. This Act took years to fully enact and has been amended twice, first in 2004 and again in 2005.

OFPA has taken a fringe issue and has helped give it definition, creditability, and sustainability in the eyes of the consumer. Organic food production now makes up 2% of all foods, and at least 50% of the population eats organic occasionally. Organic products have sustained a 20% growth rate since 1990. As the population continues to believe that, “you are what you eat”, organic and natural will remain true growth areas for producers and opportunities to enhance market share for growers and processors.

Organic grown and processed products must be documented. The grower must have procedures, records and an agriculture plan. The process and documentation required is very much like HACCP documentation. All documentation must be reviewed annually by a certifying agency. USDA does not certify but does keep reporting records. The “warehouse/ storage facility” must also be included in the certified operation’s organic systems plan so that the certifying agent is aware of where the product is being stored and can verify that the facility is compliant with any applicable standards. Failure to have your annual verification causes revocation of use of the USDA Certified Organic Seal. Read More...