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USDA Organic logo
USDA Organic
United States · Tier 1 Gold
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'Natural' (NOT a certification)
Worldwide · Tier 4 Marketing
Non-GMO Project Verified logo
Non-GMO Project Verified
United States · Tier 3 Specialty
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 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.North America's leading 'no genetically modified organisms' certification. Tests for the presence of GMOs in finished products. NOT organic.
ScopeFoodSeveral categoriesFood
Established2002—2010
InspectionAnnual on-site by USDA-accredited certifierNoneAnnual third-party audit + lab testing
Residue testingRequired on ≥5% of operations annuallyNoneGMO testing only (not pesticide)
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.
  • Nothing. It is not a certification and there is no body verifying anything.
  • Verified absence of GMO ingredients (with action thresholds, not zero tolerance).
  • Annual third-party verification.
  • Tracing and segregation across the supply chain.
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.
  • 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 mean organic — Non-GMO products can use synthetic pesticides and fertilizers freely.

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