Friday, May 23, 2025

Organic Watchdog Declares USDA Certification Unreliable, Urges Consumers to Rely on Independent Standards

Organic Watchdog Declares USDA Certification Unreliable, Urges Consumers to Rely on Independent Standards

By YourNews

May 23, 2025



OrganicEye, a leading nonprofit watchdog of the organic food industry, has issued a blunt warning to consumers: stop blindly trusting the USDA’s “Certified Organic” seal. In a detailed press release, the group called federal oversight of the $60 billion organic industry “untrustworthy,” citing systemic failures to enforce the 1990 Organic Foods Production Act and growing alignment between certifiers and corporate agribusiness.

“Congress charged the USDA with harmonizing and enforcing a single standard that consumers and eaters could depend on,” said Mark A. Kastel, Executive Director of OrganicEye. “But the agency has willfully failed.”

The group accuses the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) of rubber-stamping industrial practices—including factory-farm livestock, hydroponic produce, and fraudulent imports—as “organic,” while turning a blind eye to certifier misconduct.

To combat what they describe as widespread regulatory capture, OrganicEye has released a shoppers’ guide to help consumers identify 10 USDA-accredited certifiers that remain committed to enforcing the law “both in spirit and letter.” The guide encourages buyers to scrutinize food packaging for the certifier’s name—required by law—and preferentially purchase items certified by the most ethical agencies.

https://www.scribd.com/document/863157116/OrganicEye-Infographic-Top-Certifiers-2025-PRINT-1#from_embed

“If a product is certified by one of the top 10 organizations, buyers can be assured that it is not coming from a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)…and that the nutrient density of their food is derived from a healthy and unique soil microbiota,” said Kastel.

OrganicEye singles out three of the largest certifiers—California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), Oregon Tilth, and Florida Organic Growers (FOG)—as “bad actors,” accusing them of intermingling certification with lobbying and promotion, accepting excessive payments from corporate clients, and rubber-stamping practices that violate federal law.

Despite submitting formal legal complaints backed by evidence, the USDA recently dismissed the charges against Oregon Tilth and Florida Organic Growers, stating “no apparent violations” were found. The complaint against CCOF remains open after more than a year, tied to alleged “payola” payments from major brands like Driscoll’s, Grimmway Farms, and Taylor Farms.

OrganicEye’s guide directs shoppers to prioritize local purchases and inspect labels for certifier names. It warns that many formerly farmer-led certifiers have morphed into “multimillion-dollar business enterprises” supporting the production models of corporate agribusiness. Meanwhile, legacy watchdog groups like the Organic Trade Association (OTA)—of which many certifiers are members—are criticized as representing industry interests over farmers or consumers.

“It’s no coincidence that of the 10 heroes in the certification business, none of them are OTA members,” Kastel said.

OrganicEye also called attention to the USDA’s own funding relationship with the Accredited Certifiers Association (ACA), a powerful trade group representing certification bodies, despite their official regulatory role.

Alexis Baden-Mayer, a Washington attorney and political director of the Organic Consumers Association, echoed the critique. “We are now going ‘back to the future,’ depending more on the certifiers than on the USDA since they have failed to enforce the universal high standards that Congress intended,” she said.

OrganicEye hopes consumers will pressure brands to switch to top-tier certifiers and restore trust in organic food by aligning with certifiers that uphold the law and core values of the organic movement.

“We want these businesses to stand with the family farm community,” Kastel added. “And retaining customer loyalty is a powerful incentive.”

YourNews


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My notes: 
  • God the Source is unconditional love, not a zealous god of [some] dogmatic religions.
  • All articles are the responsibility of the respective authors.
  • My personal opinion: No one is more anti-Semite than the Zionists [fake Jews].


Reminder discernment is recommended
from the heart, not from the mind
 
The Truth Within Us, Will Set Us Free. We Are ONE.
No Need of Dogmatic Religions, Political Parties, and Dogmatic Science, linked to a Dark Cabal that Divides to Reign.
Any investigation of a Genuine TRUTH will confirm IT. 
TRUTH need no protection.
 
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