Organic products with new U.S. Department of Agriculture labels are making their way into local grocery stores after federal regulations went into effect Oct. 21.
The new organic certification standards that must be met by producers and processors to receive the USDA labels are not that different from the Ohio standards already in place, said Steve Sears, certification administrator for the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association.
The biggest changes were with organic livestock production and not as much with fruit and vegetable production, he said.
The standards are extremely thorough and in-depth down to the last detail, which creates extra paperwork, said Deborah Stinner, coordinator of the organic food and farming education and research program at the Ohio State Agricultural Technology Institute at Wooster.
“The big difference is now with the national standards, organics are being recognized as being a legitimate but small part of the overall agricultural system in the country,” Stinner said. “It gives (organics) an official place at the table with our name.”
Over the past 12 years, organic sales have been growing faster than any other part of the food system, Stinner said. The national standards will enhance and solidify this growth and allow the organic market to mature in the U.S. food system, she said.
On the downside, national certification and labeling standards open the door to large manufacturers that may form cooperatives with several small farms offering the same quality products, Stinner said. This scenario would increase availability of organic products to the consumer at lower prices, but would drive out the small or mid-size producers, she said.
“As a scientist, I see benefits on both sides,” Stinner said. “The wider recognition will increase the role of organic production in the food system, which in the end could benefit the environment as well as human health.”
“I also see social and economic concerns of individual organic farmers that large corporations moving into organic production will drive prices down and therefore decrease the viability of the small and mid-size organic producers,” she said.
The new organic production and labeling procedures define a set of standards across the nation, said Shoshanah Inwood, a second-year graduate student in environmental science and an organic consumer. The new standards are a good way to know there is accountability with the growers and their process, she said.
Even though the new USDA labels represent accountability, the previous certification by OEFFA had high standards, Inwood said. Organic products certified by OEFFA pinpointed growers who were interested in reducing pesticides and being environmentally conscious, which is what attracts the typical organic consumer, she said.
Most organic consumers read labels to suit their preferences, so the new USDA labels will not be a big change, said Edward Bain, general manager of Clintonville Community Market, a small, community-owned cooperative grocery on Crestview Road.
The new labels distinguish between several levels of organic certification, depending on the product’s purity, Bain said. But the Clintonville Community Market already has a color-coded system serving a similar purpose.
The new USDA certification process, which is more expensive than previous certification, should not affect prices for the consumer, Bain said. The producers and distributors working with the Clintonville Community Market took an active role in developing the new standards.
“Our distributors and producers helped establish the standards and are ahead of the curve because that’s what they built their business on. It didn’t just happen in Clintonville, it happened across the nation.”
Small stores that serve the organic market may see increased competition as larger chains begin offering organic products, Bain said. National standards give recognition and accountability to organic products, which will draw consumer interest and increase education.
Educated consumers are what drive the market, Bain said. The larger stores are starting to have natural food sections, but it will take time to build enough interest to offer a sufficient amount of organic foods. By that time, consumers probably will be focused on locally grown food, which will allow a place for smaller stores, he said.
Although the new production and labeling standards are in effect, consumers may not see the USDA label right away, Sears said. Producers are allowed to use their old labels until they are gone. The new labels will tote “USDA” as well as the name and contact information of the certifying agency.
Organic producers and food processors have been working to meet the standards since last April when 27 agencies and states received approval to begin certifying, Sears said. As of Oct. 21, producers and processors had to be in full compliance with the new rules.
