Once Congress has reviewed the National Standards, implementation will include an 18-month grace period for growers, processors and handlers to comply. Consumers will begin to see new organic labeling on products in their local grocery stores by the summer of 2001, with full implementation expected by mid-2002. It will mean that the ingredients and production methods have been verified by an accredited certification agency as meeting or exceeding USDA standards for organic production. The Organic Trade Association has been instrumental in the process of making the new standards a reality. No longer will there be questions concerning what certification stands for, or whether a state recognizes a private certification label.
Standards clarify and make labeling consistent, protecting the integrity of the organic guarantee.
The rule gives consumers the assurance of what organic stands for. Organic agriculture prohibits the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge, and genetic engineering in anything labeled organic. USDA will finally oversee and enforce the entry of only qualified organic products into the United States, thus preventing false and mislabeled products from entering the country. Having standards in place will facilitate and expand the marketing of organic products, both domestically and globally. The rule comes on the heels of the Risk Management Act that stated organic is a good agricultural practice.