Do you ship or distribute certified organic produce? Or, is some of the produce sold in your local market U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)- certified organic? If so, we’d like to share some information about handling these products appropriately to avoid residues of substances that are prohibited in organic production and handling.
Beginning in 2013, the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) began implementing a strengthened residue testing program to help increase consumer confidence in the $35 billion U.S. organic industry. Organic produce represents approximately 40 percent of this market share, according to a 2013 study conducted by the Organic Trade Association.
Consumers purchase organic the products expecting they have maintained their organic integrity from farm to market, and USDA is committed to meeting these expectations. The residue testing program provides additional verification that certified organic farmers are meeting established requirements and not using prohibited substances.
The Certification Process
Organic certification verifies that a farm or handling facility complies with organic regulations and its products can be identified as organic. The USDA accredits state departments of agriculture and private organizations around the world to serve as certifying agents (called ‘certifiers’), who review written applications submitted by farms or growing operations. Applications must include an organic system plan describing the practices and substances to be used.
Certifiers determine if the proposed practices comply with organic regulations, then send inspectors to conduct on-site inspections of an applicant’s operation. Certifiers then review each inspector’s report and if all practices comply with organic regulations and standards, the certifier grants certification to the operator. Certified organic operations must be reinspected and recertified annually; this process ensures the integrity of organic products.
Residue Testing Requirements
Each USDA organic certifier must test products from at least 5 percent of the organic farms and businesses that are certified each year. While testing has always been a part of organic product oversight and is required by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, the new program specifies a minimum amount of testing that must occur.
The additional testing helps certifiers identify and take appropriate action against growers and businesses using banned substances or methods such as banned pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, or genetic engineering. Further, certifiers can use test results to identify and address instances in which organic products may have unintentionally come in contact with prohibited substances. For example, when test results suggest pesticide drift from nearby farms or facilities, this could lead certifiers to require a larger buffer zone around the organic farm. Or, handling facilities could be required to better protect organic products from prohibited substances.
The NOP has provided certifiers with several resources to help them comply with the new residue testing program, including a target list of prohibited pesticides. Certifiers previously conducted residue testing when there were concerns that a particular farm or business had used a prohibited substance or method. Certifiers will continue to determine which organic farms and businesses should be subjected to testing to meet the 5 percent testing requirement. Some testing will be random, while other testing will be risk-based.
