The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes the maximum allowed levels of pesticides, or EPA tolerances, which may be present on foods. Although most EPA-registered pesticides are prohibited in organic production, there can be inadvertent or indirect contact from neighboring conventional farms or shared handling facilities. As long as the operator hasn’t directly applied prohibited pesticides and has documented efforts to minimize exposure to them, USDA organic regulations allow residues of prohibited pesticides up to 5 percent of the EPA tolerance.
Impact to the Produce Industry
All organic produce must be protected from prohibited substances (such as synthetic fertilizers and boxes treated with fungicides) and methods (such as genetic engineering and irradiation) from the field to the point of final sale. Additionally, organic products must be kept separate from nonorganic products throughout their lifecycle. Individuals handling organic produce must implement practices to prevent commingling and contamination, and ensure organic products are displayed appropriately at the retail level.
The USDA is committed to the integrity of organic products and supports the continued growth of organic agriculture in the United States. For additional information about how USDA oversees organic products or to receive email alerts on standards development, fraudulent certificates, USDA services, or other information related to organic agriculture, visit www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
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.
The strengthened testing program also increases confidence in the integrity of USDA organic products among international trade partners. The United States currently has trade partnerships with Canada, the European Union, and Japan, stream-lining trade between three of the largest organic markets in the world. The USDA is also in discussions to consider similar arrangements with other foreign governments, creating new markets and jobs for organic farmers and businesses within the United States.
Help Protect Organic Integrity
Consumers choose to purchase organic products expecting that they are grown, processed, and handled according to USDA organic regulations. A high-quality regulatory program benefits organic farmers and processors by taking action against those who violate the law and jeopardize consumer confidence in organic products.
Punishments may include financial penalties up to $11,000 per violation and/or suspension or revocation of an operation’s organic certificate. The USDA may conduct unannounced inspections of organic operations at any time to investigate suspected violations.
We encourage you to help us protect organic integrity by reporting any suspected violations. For example, if you suspect (1) an operation is making organic claims without being certified; (2) a conventional product is being mislabeled as organic; (3) an operation is using a prohibited substance or method; (4) an operation is labeling a product incorrectly; (5) a specific commodity or country of origin needs to be investigated to prevent fraud; or (6) an operation is using a fraudulent organic certificate—let us know by visiting www.ams.usda.gov/NOPFileaComplaint.
In partnership with accredited certifying agents, we will investigate all complaints and take appropriate enforcement action(s). We appreciate the produce industry’s eyes and ears throughout the global supply chain.
The new periodic residue testing program discourages mislabeling and facilitates oversight of USDA organic products around the world. This will allow us to prevent residues of a wide variety of prohibited substances, thus meeting consumer expectations. Periodic residue testing is an important tool to protect the integrity of USDA organic products both here in the United States and around the world.
Organic-Approved Pest Controls
The majority of pest control materials permitted in organic agriculture are naturally derived from plants, microorganisms, or other natural sources and are used in conjunction with crop rotation and other pest management strategies. Pyrethrum—made from certain species of white daisies (Tanacetum cinerariifolium)—is one of the oldest known natural insecticides.
This botanical insecticide can effectively control aphids, multiple species of beetles, and weevils.
Additionally, Bacillus thuringiensis is a Gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium. It is commonly used to control a wide variety of pests including moths, flies, mosquitoes, and beetles. Finally, extracts from tropical neem tree seeds interrupt pests’ metamorphosis by preventing molting and suppressing feeding. This botanical insecticide is effective against many pests, including aphids, weevils, sawflies, leafminers, and thrips.
Organic standards prohibit the use of most synthetic substances for at least three years prior to the harvest of an organic crop. Synthetic pest control materials allowed in organic crop production include elemental sulfur, insecticidal soap, horticultural oils, and copper hydroxide.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes the maximum allowed levels of pesticides, or EPA tolerances, which may be present on foods. Although most EPA-registered pesticides are prohibited in organic production, there can be inadvertent or indirect contact from neighboring conventional farms or shared handling facilities. As long as the operator hasn’t directly applied prohibited pesticides and has documented efforts to minimize exposure to them, USDA organic regulations allow residues of prohibited pesticides up to 5 percent of the EPA tolerance.
Impact to the Produce Industry
All organic produce must be protected from prohibited substances (such as synthetic fertilizers and boxes treated with fungicides) and methods (such as genetic engineering and irradiation) from the field to the point of final sale. Additionally, organic products must be kept separate from nonorganic products throughout their lifecycle. Individuals handling organic produce must implement practices to prevent commingling and contamination, and ensure organic products are displayed appropriately at the retail level.
The USDA is committed to the integrity of organic products and supports the continued growth of organic agriculture in the United States. For additional information about how USDA oversees organic products or to receive email alerts on standards development, fraudulent certificates, USDA services, or other information related to organic agriculture, visit www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
Miles McEvoy is deputy administrator of the USDA National Organic Program. He has worked in organic agriculture for more than twenty-five years, and was the first organic inspector for the Washington State Depart-ment of Agriculture. He has a master’s degree in Entomology from Cornell University.
