What do the four different organic labels mean? (from USDA)

October 13, 2022

What do the four different organic labels mean?

Used to label any product that contains 100 percent organic ingredients (excluding salt and water, which are considered natural)
Most raw, unprocessed or minimally processed farm crops can be labeled “100 percent organic”
PDP: May include USDA organic seal and/or organic claim
IP: Identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark

“Organic”

Any product that contains a minimum of 95 percent organic ingredients (excluding salt and water)
Up to 5 percent of ingredients may be nonorganic agricultural products and/or nonagricultural products on the National List (nonorganic agricultural products and several nonagricultural products on the National List may only be used if they are not commercially available as organic)
- PDP: May include USDA organic seal and/or organic claim
- IP: Identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark

Product contains at least 70 percent organically produced ingredients (excluding salt and water), with a number of detailed constraints regarding ingredients that comprise the nonorganic portion
- PDP: May state “made with organic (insert up to three ingredients or ingredient categories)”; must not include USDA organic seal anywhere, represent finished product as organic, or state “made with organic ingredients”
- IP: Identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark

Specific organic ingredients may be listed in the ingredient statement of products containing less than 70 percent organic contents—for example, “Ingredients: water, barley, beans, organic tomatoes, salt.”
- PDP: Must not include USDA organic seal anywhere or the word “organic”
- IP: May only list certified organic ingredients as organic in the ingredient list and the percentage of organic ingredients; remaining ingredients not required to follow the USDA organic regulations