Cracking Down On Organic Labels

We've seen the word "organic" associated with foods in our grocery stores for years. Yet, there was no way to know for sure what was, or was not, truly organic. Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, only those foods that meet new "strict" guidelines as outlined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture can truly be considered organic foods.

A, J. Yates, administrator for the Agricultural Marketing Service, visited The Early Show to help make the public aware of the new guidelines and explain how they work.

Why did it take so long to come up with the guidelines?

In the 1980s, the organic industry was growing in the United States. But "organic" was defined differently from state to state. Out of those different guideline there grew a patchwork quilt of standards. This was very confusing, to say the least, and it also made it difficult for the U.S. to market organic foods outside of the country.

Finally, the organic industry went to Congress to ask for an independent third party to create standards and guidelines. Congress passed a law in 1990, directing the USDA to create such standards.

In 1997, the USDA issued the first set of proposed rules and turned to the industry for public comments. The USDA received 275,000 comments, which were used to revise the existing standards. In March 2000, a second set of regulations was distributed to the public for review; 40,000 comments came in, and the consensus was that there was an improvement in this second set of guidelines.

December of 2000 brought the final set of standards, and regulations were created. During this time, the industry had been living with the regulations voluntarily. But as of Oct. 21, 2002, anything labeled "organic" must meet mandatory USDA guidelines.

Two key things have come out of this process:

1. The new standards will help the industry become more cohesive to help the organic industry grow.
2. "Organic" will now have a meaning in the marketplace. Consumers in the United States and overseas will now have a consistent understanding of what "organic" is supposed to be.

Classification:

The USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) has 4 classifications for certified organic foods:
(Source: Business Information 9/15/02)

1. 100 percent Organic:
   Foods must be produced and processed according to a long list of specific guidelines and using no prohibited ingredients or substances. Foods may be individual (such as produce) or multiple ingredient. Meat and poultry labeled 100 percent organic must come from animals fed only 100 percent organic feed. Foods in this category may display the USDA Organic label.

   (This is the most stringent category. To carry the 100 percent organic label, the organic grower has to prove to an independent certifying agent that the farm has been chemical-free for at least three years.)

2. Organic:
   Made with ingredients that are at least 95 percent organic. The remaining 5 percent or less may either be non-agriculture or determined to be not "commercially available" in organic form. Foods in this category also may display the USDA Organic label.
3. Made with organic ingredients:
   Between 70 percent and 95 percent organic ingredients, label may state, "Made with Organic Ingredients," with up to three organic ingredients named.
4. Less than 70 percent organic ingredients:
   Food products containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients may be labeled as such, but only in the packaging information panel.