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To sell, label or represent a product as organic in the United States, every farm and business that grows, processes, imports or trades it needs certification to the USDA organic regulations, unless an exemption applies. Certification comes from a certifying agent accredited by USDA's National Organic Program. Within the Kiwa group, those certifiers are Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie and Kiwa BCS Costa Rica. Contact Kiwa ASI and we'll connect you with the Kiwa group's USDA organic certification team to confirm your scope and costs.
Last updated September 30, 2026
Tell us what you grow, make or trade, and we'll follow up about scope, timing and costs.
The National Organic Program (NOP) is the federal program, run by USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, that sets and enforces the national standards for organic products. It was created under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, and its rules are the USDA organic regulations at 7 CFR Part 205. NOP certification means an operation has been inspected and certified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent as meeting those rules.
Organic products are produced without prohibited substances, genetic engineering ("excluded methods"), irradiation or sewage sludge. Only substances on USDA's National List may be used, and that list includes some approved synthetics. Kiwa ASI (ASI Food Safety, LLC) isn't a USDA-accredited organic certifying agent and doesn't issue USDA organic certificates. Within the Kiwa group, USDA organic certification is issued by Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie GmbH and Kiwa BCS Costa Rica Limitada, both listed as USDA-accredited certifying agents in USDA's Organic Integrity Database.
Once granted, organic certification stays in effect until it's surrendered, suspended or revoked. To keep it, you update your Organic System Plan, pay your certifier's fees and pass an on-site inspection every year. See the inspection.
The same USDA organic regulations apply to every certified farm and business, whether the product is grown in the U.S. or imported.
The USDA Organic Integrity Database lists 29,388 certified U.S. operations and 50,657 worldwide (as of September 30, 2026).
The Organic Trade Association reports U.S. organic sales of $76.6 billion in 2025, up 6.8%, with organic food at $70.1 billion.
Cropland must go 3 years without prohibited substances before a harvest can be sold as organic.
Any operation that produces or handles products sold, labeled or represented as "100 percent organic," "organic" or "made with organic" must be certified, unless it's exempt. Since the Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule, "handling" includes trading, importing and exporting.
Growers of fruit, vegetables, grain, hay, herbs and other crops, including greenhouse and split operations.
Dairies, ranches and poultry operations producing organic milk, meat, eggs or animals.
Operations that harvest plants from a designated wild area that hasn't had prohibited substances for 3 years.
Food, beverage and ingredient manufacturers, packers and private-label makers of organic products.
Importers of organic products must be certified, and every organic import needs an NOP Import Certificate.
Companies that buy, sell or arrange the sale of organic products, even if they never take physical possession.
Exempt from certification (but not from the rules): operations with $5,000 or less in gross organic sales a year; retailers that don't process, or process only at the point of final sale; operations that only store or ship sealed, tamper-evident or retail-labeled products; handlers of products under 70% organic; customs brokers that don't take ownership or possession; and operations that only arrange transport. Exempt operations can't use the USDA organic seal. See 7 CFR 205.101.
Certification is what lets you call a product organic. It also gives buyers independent evidence of how the product was grown and handled.
Without certification (or an exemption), a product can't legally be sold, labeled or represented as organic in the U.S.
Certified "100 percent organic" and "organic" products may carry the USDA organic seal, a registered trademark.
OTA reports U.S. organic sales of $76.6 billion in 2025 and forecasts they'll pass $100 billion in 2030.
Since 2024, importers, brokers and traders must be certified too, so buyers check your certificate in the Organic Integrity Database.
Organic products often sell at a premium, although premiums vary by product and reflect higher production costs.
USDA's Organic Certification Cost Share Program reimburses 75% of certification costs, up to $750 per scope, for 2025 and 2026.
USDA organic certification covers four areas of operation, called scopes. Many operations hold more than one, such as a farm that also packs its own crops.
Land managed under an Organic System Plan, with soil fertility, crop rotation, pest and weed management using allowed practices and inputs.
Animals under continuous organic management, with organic feed, pasture for ruminants, outdoor access and health care without prohibited drugs.
Plants harvested from a designated wild area, in a way that doesn't harm the environment or the stand.
Processing, packing, storing, trading, importing and exporting organic products, with commingling and contamination prevented.
Mushrooms and pet food: USDA finalized specific organic standards in December 2024, with compliance due March 22, 2027, then proposed rescinding them in May 2025. That decision is still pending, so confirm the current status with your certifier.
Kiwa group scopes: Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie is accredited for crops, wild crops, handling and livestock (apiculture only); Kiwa BCS Costa Rica for crops, handling and livestock (apiculture only). See USDA's list of accredited certifying agents.
What you can say on the label depends on how much of the product is organic, by weight or fluid volume, excluding water and salt. Percentages are rounded down.
Every ingredient and processing aid is certified organic.
At least 95% organic ingredients. The rest must be on the National List, and nonorganic agricultural ingredients are allowed only if an organic form isn't commercially available.
At least 70% organic ingredients. Up to three organic ingredients or food groups may be named on the front panel.
Organic ingredients may be identified only in the ingredient list, and the organic percentage may appear on the information panel.
Packaged products in the top three categories must name the certifier of the final handler, under the handler's name, with a statement such as "Certified organic by…". Nonretail containers must identify the product as organic and carry a lot number or other ID linking it to your records. See USDA's labeling guide.
An inspector visits every production unit, facility and site in your scope to confirm that what you do matches your Organic System Plan (OSP) and the USDA organic regulations. Every inspection includes a mass-balance check (inputs account for outputs) and a trace-back of organic products to the last certified operation. The inspector reports to the certifier, which makes the certification decision.
| Area | What's verified |
|---|---|
| Organic System Plan | Your practices, inputs, monitoring and recordkeeping match the OSP your certifier approved |
| Inputs and the National List | Seeds, fertilizers, pest controls, feed, ingredients and processing aids are allowed, with labels and supplier documents on file |
| Land and buffers | Field history shows no prohibited substances for 36 months; boundaries and buffer zones protect against drift and runoff |
| Commingling and contamination | Organic products are kept separate from nonorganic ones on split operations and protected from prohibited substances, including pest control and sanitation |
| Suppliers and fraud prevention | Supplier certificates are verified, and the fraud prevention plan in your OSP is in use |
| Records and traceability | Records are kept 5 years, traced back to the last certified operation, with a mass balance of organic inputs and outputs |
| Labels | Product labels, nonretail containers and any use of the USDA seal match the labeling category |
| Residue sampling | The inspector may take samples for residue testing; residues over 5% of the EPA tolerance mean the product can't be sold as organic |
There's no score or grade. Your certifier reviews your application and inspection report, and certification continues each year as long as you stay in compliance.
| Step | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Initial inspection | First year | On-site inspection of every site; may be delayed up to 6 months so activities can be observed |
| Annual update | Every year | Updated OSP, fees and any changes sent to your certifier |
| Annual inspection | Once per calendar year | On-site inspection to confirm continued compliance |
| Unannounced inspection | Any time | Certifiers inspect at least 5% of their operations unannounced each year |
| Residue testing | Any time | Certifiers sample and test at least 5% of their operations each year |
The certifier describes each noncompliance in writing and sets a date to rebut it or correct it, with documentation.
If the issue isn't resolved, or the violation was willful, the certifier proposes suspension or revocation. You can request mediation or file an appeal, generally within 30 days.
A suspended operation can't sell products as organic until reinstated. After a revocation, the operation and responsibly connected persons can't be certified for 5 years.
Knowingly selling or labeling a product as organic in violation of the rules carries a civil penalty of up to $22,974 per violation. Tell your certifier immediately about any drift or prohibited-substance application. Sources: 7 CFR 205.403, 205.406 and 205.662.
The Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule, required by the 2018 Farm Bill and published January 19, 2023, tightened oversight of the whole organic supply chain. Operations had to comply by March 19, 2024.
Brokers, traders, importers and exporters must now be certified, closing gaps where uncertified businesses handled organic products.
Every organic import shipment needs an NOP Import Certificate issued through the Organic Integrity Database, with the data entered in CBP's ACE system.
Your OSP must describe how you verify suppliers and the organic status of products you receive, and how you prevent organic fraud.
Certifiers must inspect at least 5% of the operations they certify unannounced each year.
Every inspection now checks that organic inputs account for outputs and that products trace back to the last certified operation.
Organic certificates are generated from the Organic Integrity Database and carry a 10-digit NOP ID, so buyers can verify them.
SOE also set training hours for inspectors and reviewers, required nonretail containers to be labeled as organic with a traceable lot number, and added supply-chain traceability audits by certifiers. See USDA's SOE page.
No. USDA describes organic certification as a process claim, not a food safety claim. FDA food safety rules apply to organic farms and facilities the same way they apply to everyone else.
Organic farms that grow covered produce must meet FDA's Produce Safety Rule. It was written not to conflict with the organic rules.
Organic processors that are FDA-registered food facilities still need current good manufacturing practices and a food safety plan, unless a Part 117 exemption applies.
Organic handlers may use pest controls that food safety or other laws require, as long as organic products are protected from contact.
Retail and foodservice buyers often ask organic suppliers for SQF or another GFSI-recognized food safety certification as well.
Kiwa ASI audits and certifies U.S. food sites for food safety. Compare SQF certification and cGMP food processing certification.
USDA publishes the organic regulations, guidance and certificate database free online.
Figures on this page come from USDA's Organic Integrity Database and the Organic Trade Association's 2026 Organic Market Report, checked September 30, 2026.
USDA says certification costs range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars a year, depending on your certifier and the size and complexity of your operation. Certifiers must file their fees with USDA and give you an estimate up front. Budget across these areas:
A one-time fee when you first apply. Published 2026 schedules from U.S. certifiers show about $300 to $350.
Usually tiered by the value of your organic production or sales, and higher for handlers and processors than for farms.
Inspector time and travel for the annual inspection, often billed hourly.
Some certifiers add an assessment on annual organic sales or production.
Writing and updating the OSP, keeping records, verifying suppliers and training staff.
USDA reimburses 75% of eligible certification costs, up to $750 per scope, for the 2025 and 2026 program years. Apply by December 31, 2026.
Costs vary widely by certifier and operation. Contact Kiwa ASI and we'll connect you with the Kiwa group's USDA organic certification team to confirm your scope and costs, or request a quote.
USDA describes five basic steps. In practice it takes 9, from preparing your operation (steps 1–4) to the review and inspection (5–8) and staying certified (9). USDA publishes no standard timeline, so contact a certifier a few months before you plan to harvest or sell as organic.
Check whether you sell, label or represent products as organic, and whether an exemption applies, such as $5,000 or less in organic sales.
Decide which scopes apply: crops, livestock, wild crops, handling or a combination. List your sites, products and any split (organic and nonorganic) production.
Make sure cropland has gone 36 months without prohibited substances, and livestock meet their organic management requirements.
Describe your practices, inputs, monitoring, supplier verification, fraud prevention, recordkeeping and how you prevent commingling and contamination.
Send the OSP, application and fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Contact Kiwa ASI and we'll connect you with the Kiwa group's USDA organic certification team to confirm your scope and costs.
The certifier reviews your application and OSP to verify your practices comply with the USDA organic regulations.
An inspector visits every site in scope, checks records, inputs and labels, and runs a mass balance and trace-back.
The certifier reviews the inspection report, you resolve any issues, and your certificate is issued from the Organic Integrity Database.
Submit an annual update and fees, pass an inspection every year, keep records for 5 years and apply for cost share each program year.
Live virtual Kiwa ASI courses for the fraud prevention, traceability and audit skills organic operations rely on. These aren't USDA organic courses.
Food fraud vulnerability assessments and mitigation, the skills behind the fraud prevention plan the SOE rule added to every Organic System Plan.
Live virtual · Instructor-led
Dates on request. Ask about upcoming dates
Critical tracking events, key data elements and traceability plans under FSMA 204, useful for the lot-level traceability organic trace-backs rely on.
1.5 days · Live via Zoom · FSPCA curriculum
Dates on request. Ask about upcoming dates
Plan, run and report internal audits, such as checking your own records, mass balance and segregation before your annual inspection.
Full day · Live online · 8:30 AM–2:30 PM CT
Dates on request. Ask about upcoming dates
Need training for 6+ people at your site? Ask about on-site private training. For USDA's own free organic courses, see the Organic Integrity Learning Center.
A U.S. food certification team in the same group as Kiwa BCS, the Kiwa group's USDA organic certifiers.
Contact Kiwa ASI and we'll connect you with the Kiwa group's USDA organic certification team to confirm your scope and costs.
We tell you up front which Kiwa company does what. In the Kiwa group, Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie and Kiwa BCS Costa Rica issue USDA organic certification; Kiwa ASI certifies food safety. Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie is accredited for crops, wild crops, handling and livestock (apiculture only); Kiwa BCS Costa Rica for crops, handling and livestock (apiculture only).
Kiwa ASI audits and certifies U.S. food sites to SQF and other food safety programs, for organic suppliers whose buyers also require food safety certification.
Part of Kiwa, a testing, inspection and certification group operating in more than 30 countries.
Kiwa ASI training is delivered separately from audits and certification, and taking it has no bearing on any audit or certification outcome.
NOP organic certification is certification to the USDA organic regulations (7 CFR Part 205), which USDA's National Organic Program sets and enforces. A USDA-accredited certifying agent reviews your Organic System Plan and inspects your operation, then certifies that it meets the rules. Only certified (or exempt) operations can sell, label or represent products as organic in the U.S.
Any farm or business that produces or handles products sold, labeled or represented as "100 percent organic," "organic" or "made with organic," including growers, livestock operations, wild-crop harvesters, processors, importers, exporters, brokers and traders. See who needs it.
Operations with $5,000 or less a year in gross organic sales; retailers that don't process, or process only at the point of final sale; operations that only store or ship sealed, tamper-evident or retail-labeled products; handlers of products under 70% organic; certain customs brokers; and operations that only arrange transport. Exempt operations must still follow the organic rules, keep records for 3 years and can't use the USDA organic seal.
No. Kiwa ASI (ASI Food Safety, LLC) isn't a USDA-accredited organic certifying agent and doesn't issue USDA organic certificates. Within the Kiwa group, USDA organic certification is issued by Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie GmbH and Kiwa BCS Costa Rica Limitada, both listed as USDA-accredited certifying agents in USDA's Organic Integrity Database. Contact Kiwa ASI and we'll connect you with the Kiwa group's USDA organic certification team to confirm your scope and costs.
Organic certification doesn't expire on a set date. It continues until it's surrendered, suspended or revoked. To keep it, you submit an updated Organic System Plan and pay fees every year, and your certifier inspects your operation at least once per calendar year.
The OSP is the plan you agree with your certifier that describes how you'll comply: your practices, the inputs you use and where they come from, how you monitor your operation and verify suppliers, your fraud prevention plan, your records and how you prevent commingling and contamination.
USDA doesn't set a standard timeline. It depends on your certifier and how ready your OSP and records are, so USDA suggests contacting a certifier a few months before you plan to sell as organic. Cropland must also have gone 36 months without prohibited substances before an organic harvest.
USDA puts the cost at a few hundred to several thousand dollars a year, usually an application fee, an annual certification fee, inspection costs and sometimes a sales assessment. USDA's cost share program reimburses 75% of certification costs, up to $750 per scope, for 2025 and 2026. See the costs.
Apply through USDA's Farm Service Agency for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program. For the 2025 and 2026 program years, it pays 75% of eligible certification costs, up to $750 per scope, and the deadline for both years is December 31, 2026. You must pay the costs before you apply.
"100 percent organic" (all ingredients organic), "organic" (at least 95%), "made with organic (specified ingredients)" (at least 70%) and products under 70% organic, which can list organic ingredients only in the ingredient statement. Only the first two can carry the USDA organic seal. See labeling categories.
Yes, a limited number. USDA's National List allows specific synthetic substances, such as certain sanitizers and crop micronutrients in farming and ascorbic acid in processing, and prohibits some natural ones, such as arsenic and strychnine. Anything synthetic that isn't on the list is prohibited.
The organic standards prohibit genetic engineering (excluded methods) in organic production and handling, except for approved vaccines. Organic certification is a process claim, though, so it isn't a GMO-free guarantee, and trace GMO presence alone doesn't necessarily mean a violation.
Land used for organic crops must have had no prohibited substances applied for 3 years immediately before the harvest. Until the 36 months are up, crops from that land can't be sold, labeled or represented as organic.
SOE, which operations had to meet by March 19, 2024, requires certification of brokers, traders and importers, an NOP Import Certificate for every organic import, a fraud prevention plan in every OSP, unannounced inspections of at least 5% of each certifier's operations, and mass-balance and trace-back checks at inspections. See the SOE rule.
Yes. Since the SOE rule, importing and exporting count as handling, so importers must be certified. Each organic import shipment needs an NOP Import Certificate issued through USDA's Organic Integrity Database, with the data entered in CBP's ACE system.
Your certifier sends a written notification of noncompliance with a deadline to rebut or correct it. If it isn't resolved, the certifier proposes suspension or revocation, and you can request mediation or appeal. Revocation bars the operation from certification for 5 years, and knowingly mislabeling a product as organic can bring a civil penalty of up to $22,974 per violation.
No. USDA describes organic as a process claim, not a food safety claim. FDA's Produce Safety Rule and cGMP and preventive controls rules still apply to organic farms and facilities, and many buyers also require a GFSI-recognized certification such as SQF. See organic and food safety.
Search USDA's Organic Integrity Database. It lists every certified operation, its certifier, scopes and products, and certificates generated from it carry a 10-digit NOP ID.
Tell us what you grow, make or trade, and we'll follow up about scope, timing and costs.
Kiwa BCS Öko-Garantie GmbH and Kiwa BCS Costa Rica Limitada are USDA-accredited organic certifying agents (Kiwa BCS certificate, Kiwa BCS Costa Rica certificate). Kiwa ASI (ASI Food Safety, LLC) isn't a USDA organic certifier; its ANAB accreditation covers SQF and CanadaGAP. Kiwa ASI training is delivered separately from certification.