Chip Sundstrom
- California Crop Improvement Association
January 2003
The
rules of the USDA National Organic Program:
Use of
the USDA organic label or seal
Subpart D
describes the use of the USDA organic label or seal.
For seed producers, much of the
labeling information isn’t applicable.
For example, products may be
labeled as "100% organic," "organic," or "made with organic
ingredients." Since raw seed is a single composition
product, it will either be "100% organic" or not.
Seed treatments must be approved
by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) for use on
organic seed. Prohibited substances (such as synthetic
pesticides) may not be used on organic seed.
Pelleting and film coating
materials must also approved. The only time a seed product
may not qualify as "100 organic" is if a pelleting or film
coating material contains a minor component(s) that isn’t
organic. At that point a certifier would need to determine
if it could be labeled "organic," indicating a product that
contains (by weight or volume) not less than 95% organically
produced or processed agricultural products, or "made with
organic ingredients," indicating made with at least 70%
organically produced ingredients.
