What's in a Name? Organic Watchdog Asks USDA to Crack Down on Labeling Abuses
Prominent Brands Using 'Organic' in Their Name When Products Don't Qualify
While the organic label is the gold standard of eco-labels on food packages, one major loophole in the federal organic standards remains—which an organic industry watchdog is asking the USDA to close. Companies are tightly regulated in terms of their use of the word “organic” on food packaging, but some businesses are deceiving customers by using the words “Organic” or “Organics” in their company name on food that does not legally qualify as organic.
“Companies are getting away with using the word ‘organic’ in their company name, listed prominently on food packages, even if the product they’re selling isn’t certified organic,” explains Charlotte Vallaeys, Farm and Food Policy Analyst with The Cornucopia Institute. “These companies are taking advantage of the good name and reputation of organics, without going the extra mile to actually source all organic ingredients in their products.”
Today, The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group, sent aformal legal complaint
