USDA Organic Guidance Excluding Cosmetics From Certification Retracted
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service retracted a recent statement clarifying that personal care and other products cannot be certified under the National Organic Program, according to the agency
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Organic certification
The USDA will permit personal care products to be certified organic under the National Organic Program, the agency says Aug. 23. Personal care products that meet the program's organic standards can be labeled as "100 percent organic," "organic," or "made with organic" pursuant to the NOP regulations. Additionally, products that may be labeled "100 percent organic" or "organic" may also carry the USDA organic seal. The decision represents a reversal from USDA's previous stance on the inclusion of personal care products in the certification program. The agency had previously said cosmetics and personal care products could not be included because they are regulated by FDA (1"The Rose Sheet" May 31, 2004, p. 5). However, that decision angered personal care manufacturers that had invested resources in developing organic programs. Those companies said certification was needed to prevent misleading claims from cluttering the market...