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USDA Organic logo
USDA Organic
United States · Tier 1 Gold
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
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.North 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.
ScopeFoodFoodSeveral categories
Established20022010—
InspectionAnnual on-site by USDA-accredited certifierAnnual third-party audit + lab testingNone
Residue testingRequired on ≥5% of operations annuallyGMO testing only (not pesticide)None
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.
  • 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.
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 — 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.

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