Utilizing authority granted in the 2018 farm bill, the USDA said it would propose a regulation on Wednesday to expand its enforcement of the production, handling and sale of organic products. If adopted, the regulation would reduce the number of uncertified businesses in the organic supply chain, require certificates for all imported organic products, increase the number of unannounced inspections and strengthen fraud protections.
“As the organic market has grown, organic supply chains have become more complex,” said Agriculture Undersecretary Greg Ibach. “Stronger market oversight is needed to protect farmers and consumers who choose the organic option.”
Organic food accounts for 5.8 percent of U.S. food sales, according to the Organic Trade Association, which said the USDA proposal “will do much to protect organic from fraud through tougher enforcement and oversight.” The USDA cited the OTA’s anti-fraud efforts in its proposed rule as an example of private initiatives to protect the integrity of the organic marketplace.
An unpublished version of the proposed rule is available here. It is scheduled to appear in the Federal Register on Wednesday.