This is the final article in a six-part series focused on helping consumers choose products that align with their values.
Among eco-labels, “organic” stands out in terms of consumer interest. It is recognized for its clarity and consistency, with the USDA regulating it. The USDA developed organic standards through a public process that involved considerable debate and feedback from all stakeholders.
In 2025, Americans spent a record $76.6 billion on certified organic products, marking a 6.8% increase from the prior year and doubling the growth rate of conventional markets, as noted by the Organic Trade Association’s 2026 Organic Market Report. Organic food alone constituted $70.1 billion, representing 6.1% of the total U.S. food market.
This growth represents a significant turnaround. In 2019, consumer surveys placed “organic” low among product claims that mattered to shoppers, and news reports cast doubt on the enforcement of the label. However, recent consumer research by the Organic Trade Association shows that the USDA Organic seal now enjoys the highest level of consumer trust among food certifications, with the rules supporting it significantly strengthened.
Here’s a look at what the organic label currently certifies, its limitations, and other certifications that offer more.
USDA Regulation: One Label, Legally Defined
While many eco-issues, like cruelty-free claims, have numerous third-party and industry-led labels, the federal government legally defines and regulates “organic.”
The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 laid the groundwork for organic certification, covering practices from soil management to animal living conditions for produce and livestock. The USDA organic standards represent a consensus on environmentally friendly agricultural practices that are feasible for commercial farming. To be certified, farms must protect natural resources, conserve biodiversity, and use only approved substances. Products with GMOs cannot be labeled organic.
Four Labels, Four Different Guarantees
The organic standards include four labeling categories, each with distinct promises:
- 100% Organic: This label indicates that a product is made entirely with organic ingredients.
- Organic: Products labeled simply as “organic” contain at least 95% organic ingredients, allowing for situations where an organic ingredient is unavailable in sufficient quantities.
- Made with organic ingredients: Products must have at least 70% organic ingredients and cannot display the USDA Organic seal.
- Specific organic ingredients: Products with less than 70% organic content may list individual organic ingredients on the packaging.
Enforcement Got Real in 2024
Concerns about fraud, especially in imported grain shipments revealed by a critical 2017 audit, raised doubts about the organic seal’s credibility. The USDA responded with the Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule, the most significant regulatory overhaul since the 1990 Act, effective March 2024.
Under the new rule, nearly all parties handling organic products, including brokers, traders, and importers who previously lacked oversight, must be certified. Every organic import requires an electronic import certificate. Certifiers must perform unannounced inspections on at least 5% of their certified operations, and each operation must have a written organic fraud prevention plan. Violations can incur civil penalties over $20,000 per occurrence.
The resources for enforcement have expanded significantly. The National Organic Program’s budget more than doubled from 2017 to 2023, growing from around $9 million to over $22 million annually, with staffing nearly doubling within five years. The agency reports it is actively intercepting fraudulent imports and prosecuting violators.
While enforcement may never be perfect, the major loopholes that caused skepticism in the late 2010s have largely been addressed.
Beyond Organic: Certifications That Go Further
USDA Organic has led the sustainability certification market for over 30 years. However, it still allows practices such as hydroponic production and large confined livestock operations, which some organic pioneers argue go against the movement’s core principles, and it does not address farmworker welfare. Several certifications aim to fill these gaps:
- Real Organic Project: Established in 2018 by farmers unhappy with the USDA’s decisions on hydroponics and confinement dairies, this label certifies farms that already have USDA Organic certification, ensuring crops are grown in soil and livestock are pasture-raised. Certification is free for farmers and supported by donors, with over 1,100 farms participating.
- Regenerative Organic Certified: Created by the Rodale Institute, Patagonia, and Dr. Bronner’s, ROC builds on USDA Organic standards with additional requirements for soil health, animal welfare, and fairness for farmers and workers. Farms are certified at bronze, silver, or gold levels. Since its inception in 2020, ROC has become the leading regenerative standard, with 438 farms and over 67,000 smallholders managing nearly 20 million acres globally.
- Certified Naturally Grown: This certification closely aligns with USDA Organic standards but uses peer reviews by fellow farmers instead of accredited certifiers, making it more affordable for small direct-market farms. Look for this label at farmers markets and CSAs.
- Food Alliance Certified: Operating since 1997, this nonprofit certifier uses a risk-management approach rather than the strict natural-versus-synthetic divide. Farmers must prioritize pest prevention but can use chemicals minimally if necessary. The standard also covers working conditions, animal welfare, and wildlife habitat.
- Demeter Certified Biodynamic: Based on Rudolf Steiner’s holistic farming philosophy, biodynamic farming treats the entire farm as a self-sustaining organism. It requires USDA Organic compliance and enforces stricter rules on fertility imports, biodiversity set-asides, and water conservation. Demeter, founded in 1928, is the world’s oldest ecological certification, with over 7,000 farmers in 63 countries.
These certifications set a higher sustainability standard, but their products are not as widely available as those with the USDA Organic label.
While organic seals do not cover every important aspect, they now provide assurance, with significantly improved enforcement, that toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers were not used. For consumers looking to align their purchases with their values, this offers a verified baseline that unregulated “natural” and “non-toxic” claims cannot provide.
What You Can Do
- Align the label with your priorities. If avoiding synthetic pesticides is key, USDA Organic is a reliable choice. For concerns about soil health, animal welfare, or farmworker fairness, seek Real Organic Project or Regenerative Organic Certified as supplementary labels to the organic seal.
- Check the percentage. “Organic” indicates 95% organic content; only “100% Organic” guarantees complete organic ingredients.
- Support local. Buying directly from farmers — whether certified or peer-reviewed through Certified Naturally Grown — allows you to inquire about practices not covered by labels.
- Be wary of “natural.” Unlike “organic,” this term lacks legal definition and inspection on most products.
Read part one: Shopping Your Environmental and Social Values.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on July 30, 2019 by Gemma Alexander. It was extensively updated in July 2026.
.
