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Rainforest Alliance logo
Rainforest Alliance
Global · Tier 3 Specialty
USDA Organic logo
USDA Organic
United States · Tier 1 Gold
BioGro New Zealand logo
BioGro New Zealand
New Zealand · Tier 1 Gold
What it meansSustainable-agriculture certification (post-2020 merged standard with UTZ). Covers environmental, social, and economic criteria. NOT an organic mark.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.New Zealand's largest organic certifier. Recognised by the EU, US, and Japan under their respective import-equivalence regimes.
ScopeFoodFoodSeveral categories
Established198720021983
InspectionAnnual third-party audit (RA-accredited)Annual on-site by USDA-accredited certifierAnnual on-site, IFOAM-accredited
Residue testingRisk-basedRequired on ≥5% of operations annuallyRisk-based
Guarantees
  • Reduced (not eliminated) synthetic pesticide use, with bans on the most hazardous classes.
  • Forest conservation requirements (no deforestation after the cut-off date).
  • Worker welfare and community development requirements.
  • Annual third-party audit.
  • 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.
  • ≥95% organic ingredients.
  • No synthetic pesticides, no GMOs.
  • Annual on-site inspection.
  • Covers food, textiles, and personal care under separate standards.
Does NOT
  • Allows synthetic pesticides — does NOT meet any organic standard. Often confused with organic but it's a different programme.
  • 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.
  • New Zealand has no single legally-mandated 'organic' definition — voluntary certification is the norm.

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