What Foods are Covered and What Foods are Not Covered Under the Current Organic Standards?

What foods are covered under current organic standards?

• Fruits and Vegetables, including Mushrooms

• Grains

• Legumes

• Nuts and Seeds

• Dairy Products and Eggs

• Livestock Feed

• Meats and Poultry

  One major group of foods - seafoods - are not currently covered within the regulations. The National Organics Standards Board has officially adopted recommendations for seafood (including both finfish and mollusks like oysters, clams, mussels and scallops), but these recommendations have not been added to the National List and implemented into the law as official USDA regulations.

  Are there any foods that are not covered by the federal organic standards?

  Yes. As mentioned above, seafood is a major exception to the organic regulations and has yet to be legally certified by the USDA. Honey is also a food not directly regulated by the USDA. Certified organic honey has been a confusing issue for consumers, since the USDA allows its official organic logo to be placed on honey that has been certified as organic by other agencies.