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USDA Organic logo
USDA Organic
United States · Tier 1 Gold
Canada Organic Biologique logo
Canada Organic Biologique
Canada · Tier 1 Gold
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'Natural' (NOT a certification)
Worldwide · Tier 4 Marketing
What it meansThe 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.The federal Canadian organic standard, mandatory on any agricultural product sold across provincial borders or imported as '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.
ScopeFoodFoodSeveral categories
Established20022009—
InspectionAnnual on-site by USDA-accredited certifierAnnual on-site by CFIA-accredited certifierNone
Residue testingRequired on ≥5% of operations annuallyRisk-based, conducted by accredited certifiersNone
Guarantees
  • 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 (single-ingredient products: 100%).
  • No synthetic pesticides, no GMOs, no irradiation.
  • Annual third-party certification under the Canada Organic Regime.
  • Nothing. It is not a certification and there is no body verifying anything.
Does NOT
  • 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.
  • Provincial sales-only operations are not legally required to carry it (though many do voluntarily).
  • 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.

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