All certifications
Tier 1 — GoldUnited States· North America
USDA Organic
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.
Official siteWhat it 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.
What it 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.
Inspection
Annual on-site by USDA-accredited certifier
Residue testing
Required on ≥5% of operations annually
Established
2002
Body type
Government body
Scope
Food
Trust tier
Government standard with mandatory annual inspection and residue testing. The backbone of organic regulation.
Recognised alongside
These certifications mutually recognise USDA Organic under their import-equivalence agreements, so a product carrying one mark is broadly acceptable to the others.
