Organic Crop Integrity – How are Certified Crops Protected From Fraud?

Consumer commitment to purchasing certified organic food and products has influenced agricultural market trends for nearly 30 years. Currently, this topic is extremely relevant to local farmers since the most recent PA Farm Bill and many regional businesses are committed to bolstering Pennsylvania's status as a leader in organic sales and supporting local farmers to produce organic crops. Organic feed is of particular interest to the state's burgeoning organic poultry industry and organic grain provides higher price premiums to farmers than non-organic versions of the same crops.   

Unfortunately, organic grain is also at the center of many news reports about fraudulent supplies that don't meet certification requirements. In 2017, a large shipment of organic soybeans and corn that came to the U.S. from Eastern Europe had been treated with prohibited pesticides and earlier this month, a major Argentinian supplier of U.S. organic grain came under investigation for intentionally treating its crops with restricted fertilizers and herbicides. But it is not only foreign markets who are breaking the rules. Recently, a farmer from Missouri died by suicide after he was sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating the largest known organic food fraud scheme in U.S. history. Four other farmers also received prison sentences for their participation in the same scheme.

All this blatant deceit is making many people question the integrity of organic products and their trust in the certified organic label. So, what does the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) do to ensure trust in their products and retain people's confidence?

Maintaining the integrity of USDA organic products throughout the world is central to the NOP's mission and the USDA organic regulations require handlers of organic products to comply with requirements along the entire value chain, from farm to market. They enforce a rigorous system to ensure that organic certifiers, and by extension, farmers and handlers, are appropriately trained and consistently held accountable.

An organic certifier's primary responsibility is to verify that organic farmers and handlers comply with federal standards and an accreditation body (e.g., USDA NOP) guarantees they are conducting thorough and complete inspections, have qualified personnel, and are meeting all aspects of their responsibilities. To simplify the certification process, certifiers first review organic systems plans, then they conduct inspections, and finally they issue certificates. Organic systems plans are essentially working contracts between farmers and certifiers, which outline, in exhaustive detail, the practices and procedures to be performed and maintained. These include all substances being used and a description of the recordkeeping system. Organic systems plans must also disclose whether products are exported/imported, describe product records, identify the source of imported ingredients, provide proof of verification of that source, and include all labeling information. The required level of recordkeeping within an organic systems plan should not be understated, especially for imports.

During the inspection, certifiers verify effective implementation of the organic system plans to review and audit records, to ensure traceability, and conduct residue testing. Inspections are conducted and certificates are issued annually. Without them, farmers and handlers are not permitted to display the USDA Certified Organic label or collect the premium price for their products. The certifying agents themselves also follow rigorous and public accreditation requirements and undergo NOP audits twice every five years. Any breach in these regulations can result in penalties of loss of certification, loss of ability to sell organic products, and civil penalties, as demonstrated by the case in Missouri. 

Despite demanding regulations, contaminated supplies of fraudulent organic products are still making their way to the market. These are serious crimes that undermine the legitimacy of honest farmers and handlers. The NOP does not take this lightly and continues to improve the rigor they use to eliminate fraud. In response to the 2017 shipment from Eastern Europe, the NOP has revoked the organic trader certification and proposed revocations against the traders involved. Meanwhile, requirements for handlers and certifiers to be diligent and thorough in their audits and reporting of potential fraud are becoming more stringent.

If stricter regulations still don't offer much comfort, the adage "Know your farmer, know your food" comes to mind. The majority of organic farmers, handlers, and processors are driven by an intrinsic motivation to provide legitimate, high-quality products. These intentions are often built into farm and organization core mission and value statements and can be found within their business resources and advertisements. If you still want to know more about a business, pick up the phone and talk to them. Honest, well-meaning individuals will be willing to talk to you and personal integrity becomes apparent through conversation.

More information about the National Organic Program Regulations and the Organic Integrity Database can be found on the USDA Ag Marketing Service (AMS) website or discussed with a local certifying agency.