Get British Columbia Certified Organic - Certified Organic Associations Of ...

Products can only display these seals if they meet USDA organic certification standards. In conjunction with the USDA organic seal, a product may also be labeled "100 Percent Organic" if all ingredients are certified organic, or "Organic" if the product contains at least 95 percent certified organic ingredients.

The term "certified organic" on product labels designate those made under the Organic Foods Production Act. The "USDA Organic" seal denotes the product has been produced and handled following a stringent set of guidelines regulated by the government.

Organic food doesn't have additives For a processed product to be certified organic, a minimum of 95% of the product (excluding salt and water) must be made from organic ingredients and the remaining portion must be made from USDA-approved substances.

The Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia (COABC) is an umbrella organization for a majority of the provincial organic associations. The Association (COABC) is designated under the provincial Food Choice and Quality Act to implement the certification and accreditation program.

Organic certification is a stringent process that requires producers and processors to adhere to a strict set of standards that go above and beyond all of the applicable food safety laws. These include: use of land that has been free of synthetic chemicals and fertilizers for at least 3 years.

The USDA organic certification process Every farmer and producer who makes use of the USDA Certified Organic label must undergo an annual review and audit. These are conducted by third-party certifiers, of which there are almost 80. These agents are accredited to certify based on USDA organic standards.

Organic farms and business are certified and inspected by USDA-accredited certifiers. Specially trained organic inspectors visit organic farms and business yearly to confirm they still meet the organic standards. Every organic operation is also subject to additional, unannounced inspections and testing.

Experts say knowing where your food comes from can inform whether the product you buy is truly organic. Generally, you can trust the organic food labels on grocery store shelves.