USDA Issues Memo on National Organic Program

According to a memorandum sent March 5 by Dr. Barbara Robinson, acting director of the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) has clarified its policy on conducting reviews of inputs for agricultural production to "allow certifying agents to recognize reviews conducted by other certifying agents and competent third-party reviewers."

Accredited certifying agents (ACAs) reviewing certified organic operations are required to validate that all input materials used comply with NOP regulations.

For branded products, ACAs can choose to determine compliance with these regulations by either verifying the material themselves, consulting with another ACA or with a highly regarded third party source, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).

In all circumstances, the party or parties that determine compliance with NOP regulations will have performed the due diligence on material review and accept the resultant outcome from that source. By allowing for third party consults by the EPA or OMRI, this amendment serves to reduce inconsistent organic certifications for formulated products where proprietary information is unattainable to ACAs.