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Regulatory Issues Use of the word organic to describe farm products is regulated in the United States, thanks to enabling legislation passed by Congress in 1990 and the National Organic Program regulations, which were implemented in October 2002. Following the establishment of several voluntary and state standards for organic production, the stage was set for U.S. National Organic Standards, and the U.S. Congress adopted the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) in 1990 as part of the 1990 Farm Bill. This action was followed by over a decade of public input and discussion, which resulted in a National Organic Program final rule published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in December 2000 and implemented in October 2002. This rule was, at the time, the most commented upon rule in USDA history. Organic production is practiced worldwide, and products sold as organic in the United States must meet or exceed the U.S. regulations for organic production no matter where those products are grown and processed. Fortunately, the regulations were set up to evolve as the industry grows. For example, there are sunset provisions to reexamine materials allowed and prohibited in organic production, so that as more environmentally sound materials become available, the use of less environmentally sound materials can be phased out. This section points organic producers to resources to help them monitor and stay current with changes in organic laws and regulations. Ongoing Issues | Laws & Policies
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