Understanding Organic Product Labeling

The purpose of this page is to simply and concisely answer the questions: What do the different organic labels mean? And what descriptions of organic products are allowed by law. We’ll also take a look at the labels and logos of some organic certification entities.

For the legal definition of “organic,” see our Organic Defined section. See our Certification section for an explanation of how products are certified organic.

The following is a guide to the descriptions, labels and logos that are used and how their use is regulated by the US government.

The 3 main organic labels you will see are 100% Organic, Organic, and Made with Organic. The 4th describes labeling requirements for products with less than 70% Organic ingrediants. All 4 are shown and described below.

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100% Organic:

100% Organic: Only products that contain 100 percent organically produced ingredients, not counting added water and salt may be labeled “100% Organic.” These products may also be labeled with the UDSA Organic logo (more on the USDA logo below).

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Organic:

Organic: Products which contain at least 95% organic ingredients, not counting added water and salt, may be labeled “Organic.” The USDA Organic logo may also appear on the label.

The other 5%: Must not contain added sulfites. May contain nonorganically produced agricultural ingredients which are not commercially available in organic form and/or other substances allowed by 7 CFR 205.605.

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Made with Organic Ingredients:

Made with Organic Ingredients: Products containing at least 70% organic ingredients, not counting added water and salt, may include a list of the organic ingredients on the label. An example is, “Made with Organic Oats, Raisins, and Dates.”

The other 30%: (same as above) Must not contain added sulfites. May contain nonorganically produced agricultural ingredients which are not commercially available in organic form and/or other substances allowed by 7 CFR 205.605.

The USDA Organic logo is not allowed to appear on the label.

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Less than 70% Organic ingredients:

If a product is made with less than 70% organic ingredients none of the descriptive labels above may be used. Instead, it is only allowed to state what percentage of the ingredients are organic and to list them as such in the ingredient list. Again, the USDA Organic logo may not be used.

In all of the cases above, the ingredient list on the label must identify organic ingredients as “organic” when any other organic labeling is used.

(The cereal box images below were produced by the USDA as examples of correct organic labeling.)

Organic Defined

The US Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program describes organic food this way:

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

Simply put, organic is about what you won’t find in your food. It is produced without using pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or ionizing radiation. Animals products such as meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products were not given antibiotics or growth hormones.

There are various classifications of organic consumer goods, such as “100% organic” and “Made with Organic Ingredients.” For more information on these classifications and how they are labeled along with information on the official USDA Organic logo see our section on Organic Labels.

About Organic Observer

Welcome!

As my interest in organic products started to grow in 2007, I decided to start this site to document what I learned about the organic products industry and review some of the organic products I’ve tried.

Things my start out a little slow while I find my 'organic' footing, but this should be fun.

I’ve been writing another food related blog, Fast Food Facts, since April 2005.