Organic on Food Labels

The FDA does not regulate the use of the term “organic” on food labels.

The National Organic Program (NOP) is the federal regulatory framework governing organically produced crops and livestock. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the program and enforces the NOP regulations and standards. They regulate use of the term "organic" on food labels.

The USDA requirements for products that are labeled with the term "organic" are separate from the laws that the FDA enforces. Food products that are ordinarily under the FDA's jurisdiction and labeled with organic claims must comply with both USDA NOP regulations for the organic claim and FDA regulations for food labeling and safety.

For more information on the use of the term “organic” on food labels and USDA requirements, go to the National Organic Program website.