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Non-GMO Project Verified logo
Non-GMO Project Verified
United States · Tier 3 Specialty
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'Natural' (NOT a certification)
Worldwide · Tier 4 Marketing
USDA Organic logo
USDA Organic
United States · Tier 1 Gold
What it meansNorth America's leading 'no genetically modified organisms' certification. Tests for the presence of GMOs in finished products. NOT organic.The word 'natural' on packaging is a marketing term, not a certification. In most jurisdictions there's no legal definition, no standard, and no inspection. A product labelled 'natural' can contain synthetic ingredients, pesticides, GMOs, and artificial flavours.The US Department of Agriculture's national organic standard. The green-and-white seal is the legal mark for any food sold as 'organic' in the United States.
ScopeFoodSeveral categoriesFood
Established2010—2002
InspectionAnnual third-party audit + lab testingNoneAnnual on-site by USDA-accredited certifier
Residue testingGMO testing only (not pesticide)NoneRequired on ≥5% of operations annually
Guarantees
  • Verified absence of GMO ingredients (with action thresholds, not zero tolerance).
  • Annual third-party verification.
  • Tracing and segregation across the supply chain.
  • Nothing. It is not a certification and there is no body verifying anything.
  • At least 95% of ingredients are certified organic (the '100% Organic' variant requires every ingredient).
  • No synthetic pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers, no GMOs, no sewage sludge, no irradiation.
  • Annual on-site inspection by a USDA-accredited certifier.
  • Residue testing on at least 5% of certified operations each year.
Does NOT
  • Doesn't mean organic — Non-GMO products can use synthetic pesticides and fertilizers freely.
  • Doesn't mean organic. Doesn't mean pesticide-free. Doesn't mean GMO-free. Doesn't mean ethically produced.
  • Some markets (e.g. the US FDA on food, EU on cosmetics) place very limited restrictions on the word, but enforcement is weak.
  • Doesn't certify nutrition, taste, or animal welfare specifically (separate marks like AWA cover welfare).
  • Doesn't guarantee local production — a 'USDA Organic' product can be grown anywhere with an accredited inspector.

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