USDA Organic labeling...

[Tabitha]

Here is a handy link.

USDA Organic Labeling (.pdf)

 

[JessyV]

Thanks! I was actually looking for some info on this...

 

[sajupillo19]

We,, the link is helpful in many scenarios. Other links are also appreciated. If you have, then kindly post them. I am getting curious to know more about it.

spammy link deleted - the mod team

 

[Best Natural Soap]

I looked into all of this about a month ago, and blogged about it! Here's a link:

http://barsoapnatural.com/blog/organic-soap/

As an update, I did get a return phone call, finally. The conversation convinced me to just keep my labeling at "Natural." Too much regulation and hoop-jumping involved for me...

 

[azgirl]

im going with the natural as well even though i bend over backward for organic products

 

[keveenl]

Wow this information is great! Thanks this has helped me alot! Im sure your post's are one of the best out there! always
so acurate! :roll:

spammy link deleted - the mod team

 

[soapbuddy]

Thank you for the link.

 

[keveenl]

Wow this information is great! Thanks this has helped me alot! Im sure your post's are one of the best out there! always
so acurate! :roll:

spammy link deleted - the mod team

 

[lemonbalm]

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile ... RDC5068442

Have you checked this link? It states that a product DOES NOT need to be certified to be labeled Organic if it IS NOT an agriculture product. If a product uses all Certified Organic Ingredients......Wouldn't it be Organic?? If the claims are not saying "Certified Organic" then there are no laws against it! You would need to get to know the maker and find trust in them to make an end decision!

 

[Hazel]

If a cosmetic, body care product, or personal care product contains or is made up of agricultural ingredients, and can meet the USDA/NOP organic production, handling, processing and labeling standards, it may be eligible to be certified under the NOP regulations.

Once certified, cosmetics, personal care products, and body care products are eligible for the same 4 organic labeling categories as all other agricultural products, based on their organic content and other factors:

Most of the ingredients I use in my products are agricultural products.

eta: I checked out your sites. I highly recommend you read Cosmetic Labeling Manual on the FDA site. I also suggest you do a more research on preservatives instead of of spreading misinformation. I'm concerned that your lotions do not list any preservatives in them.

To start you off, below is a couple of links which I've posted on this forum recently.

Preservatives
When Mold Strikes

 

[twoblooms]

I've always wondered how companies are able to use the Certified Organic symbol.

Thanks for the info.

 

[HoneyLady]

Ah, welcome to the Rabbit Hole of USDA Organic labeling and regulations.

This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine, right up there with packages of wieners that come 10 / pack, and buns for same that come 8 / pack. What nincompoop is doing this stuff?

I am a beekeeper, and make soap on the side to help use up wax. I investigated what would be involved in getting my honey labeled organic, as I run my measly 22 acres organically.

Turns out, I have to run those acres under very strict standards for 7 years before I can even apply. But that's not the problem. Bees fly in a radius of up to 6 miles to forage. To receive certification, I am required to run all those acres the bees *might* forage on organically. That equals about seven thousand odd (7,000 +) acres!

This is why there are only 2 US producers offering organic: one on the Big Island of HI, and one on the Olympic Peninsula of WA.

But there *is* a way for me to get the label. If I buy honey from the Republic of Oompaloompa to blend with my honey; and the Republic of Oompaloompa tells me it's organic, I can request and receive an organic label for my blended honey. Doesn't matter if the Oompaloompa honey is actually organic or not. The USDA does not have authority in Oompaloompa, and cannot confirm or deny it is or is not organic, so they WILL grant the label.

Moral: If you see a USDA organic label on honey, it's packed in the US, and blended with imported honey. Possibly from China, India, or somewhere else that has issues with herbicide / pesticide contaminated honey.

(Technically, Chinese and Indian honey is banned in the US. But it can be imported into, say, Brazil or Argentina, then put in barrels labeled "Brazil" or "Argentina", and sold here as "Brazilian" or "Argentinian" Honey. Organic even, if they ask for it.)

Frankly, I am more concerned about whether GMOs are labeled correctly than organics. I don't worry much about the organic label, now that I know how rigged it is.

~HoneyLady~

 

[shunt2011]

Ah, welcome to the Rabbit Hole of USDA Organic labeling and regulations.

This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine, right up there with packages of wieners that come 10 / pack, and buns for same that come 8 / pack. What nincompoop is doing this stuff?

I am a beekeeper, and make soap on the side to help use up wax. I investigated what would be involved in getting my honey labeled organic, as I run my measly 22 acres organically.

Turns out, I have to run those acres under very strict standards for 7 years before I can even apply. But that's not the problem. Bees fly in a radius of up to 6 miles to forage. To receive certification, I am required to run all those acres the bees *might* forage on organically. That equals about seven thousand odd (7,000 +) acres!

This is why there are only 2 US producers offering organic: one on the Big Island of HI, and one on the Olympic Peninsula of WA.

But there *is* a way for me to get the label. If I buy honey from the Republic of Oompaloompa to blend with my honey; and the Republic of Oompaloompa tells me it's organic, I can request and receive an organic label for my blended honey. Doesn't matter if the Oompaloompa honey is actually organic or not. The USDA does not have authority in Oompaloompa, and cannot confirm or deny it is or is not organic, so they WILL grant the label.

Moral: If you see a USDA organic label on honey, it's packed in the US, and blended with imported honey. Possibly from China, India, or somewhere else that has issues with herbicide / pesticide contaminated honey.

(Technically, Chinese and Indian honey is banned in the US. But it can be imported into, say, Brazil or Argentina, then put in barrels labeled "Brazil" or "Argentina", and sold here as "Brazilian" or "Argentinian" Honey. Organic even, if they ask for it.)

Frankly, I am more concerned about whether GMOs are labeled correctly than organics. I don't worry much about the organic label, now that I know how rigged it is.

~HoneyLady~

This post is 8 years old.

 

[HoneyLady]

This post is 8 years old.

Actually, I wrote that this morning, Sunday, 11 November, 2018 CST. But it's been a peeve for at least 8 years. Neither have I been around SM Forum that long.


~Honey Lady~

 

[shunt2011]

Actually, I wrote that this morning, Sunday, 11 November, 2018 CST. But it's been a peeve for at least 8 years. Neither have I been around SM Forum that long.


~Honey Lady~

And the original post you posted to is 8 years old. I know when you posted. Please read the stickies for the forum if you haven’t already. This is considered necroposting. You are welcome to start a new post and link to this. None of the participants of the original post have been here in years.

 

[HoneyLady]

Shunt~

Well, pardon me all to heck fire and back

I wrote this post this morning. If I posted something like this before, then so be it. It's a personal concern, and as a soaper, I do regularly get lots of repetitive questions re organic ingredients, labeling, etc. Sharing my personal experiences so someone else might learn from them, is the point of the forum, is it not?

My records show I've been here since 2013, not 2010. And, FWIW, if you look under the Introduce Yourself tab, you'll see I've been away for more than a year and a half due to family issues.

I have read the stickies, and I do my best to follow the rules, laugh at myself, and treat all with respect. I do not know what necroposting is. I can guess. And I dislike being accused of an action I did not, have not, and would not take part in.

As I said, I WROTE THIS POST THIS MORNING, FROM SCRATCH, RESPONDING TO A NEW THREAD. If it sounds like something I've said before, then I apologize for repetitive redundancy. I'm only human. (Maybe a little bit spoiled house cat, and teeny bit bear, especially re napping / hibernating.)

My only sin is redundancy. I *am* over 30 years old now, and my memory *is* becoming more of a challenge -- the Ginko Bilboa only helps if you remember to take it!

Perhaps you could provide me with a link to the original, as I couldn't even find it under previous posts? If it's that old, and the original posters are all gone, then it's unlikely it's been re-read this week, no?

With all due respect to you, as an admin and moderator, I am afraid I find your tone intimidating and unnecessarily unkind.

You've made me cry, frankly. As well as feel terribly embarrassed, anxious and unwelcome.

I'm sorry I broke a rule I never knew existed by offering my personal experience in a NEW thread to a NEW poster / potential friend.

I'll go away now until we get those sarcasm, sympathy, and tongue in cheek fonts that help more clearly convey intent. If I come back, and do more than just read and lurk, (I do learn a lot here) I promise I'll not mention anything I've ever mentioned before. Does that suit?

You *could* have pm'd me and explained all this without hurting my feelings or embarrassing me publicly. Since you didn't, I'll let my response stand.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

DeeAnna, Irish Lass, Czmaha, E Gent, Dixie Dragon, I'll miss you particularly. You've been friendly, generous, informative, and amusing.

Luv, Bubbles, and all sweet things,
Kelly Ross
[email protected]

~HoneyLady~

 

[dibbles]

HoneyLady, Shari meant the thread you posted to was 8 years old - not your response (post). This is a common occurrence and please don't take her letting you know as a criticism. The mods here have to point this out daily, and I'm sure get tired of correcting members so the short statement 'this post is xx years old' is a pretty standard way of letting people know that a new thread with a link to the original is preferred. Don't take it personally. I have enjoyed the bee knowledge you have shared. I'd like to see more from you. Just in the future start a new thread and say you ran across *this* and add your 2 cents. I hope I have worded this well. I'm over 60 and have had a touch or two of wine tonight. And I don't use ginko bilboa

 

[shunt2011]

Shunt~

Well, pardon me all to heck fire and back

I wrote this post this morning. If I posted something like this before, then so be it. It's a personal concern, and as a soaper, I do regularly get lots of repetitive questions re organic ingredients, labeling, etc. Sharing my personal experiences so someone else might learn from them, is the point of the forum, is it not?

My records show I've been here since 2013, not 2010. And, FWIW, if you look under the Introduce Yourself tab, you'll see I've been away for more than a year and a half due to family issues.

I have read the stickies, and I do my best to follow the rules, laugh at myself, and treat all with respect. I do not know what necroposting is. I can guess. And I dislike being accused of an action I did not, have not, and would not take part in.

As I said, I WROTE THIS POST THIS MORNING, FROM SCRATCH, RESPONDING TO A NEW THREAD. If it sounds like something I've said before, then I apologize for repetitive redundancy. I'm only human. (Maybe a little bit spoiled house cat, and teeny bit bear, especially re napping / hibernating.)

My only sin is redundancy. I *am* over 30 years old now, and my memory *is* becoming more of a challenge -- the Ginko Bilboa only helps if you remember to take it!

Perhaps you could provide me with a link to the original, as I couldn't even find it under previous posts? If it's that old, and the original posters are all gone, then it's unlikely it's been re-read this week, no?

With all due respect to you, as an admin and moderator, I am afraid I find your tone intimidating and unnecessarily unkind.

You've made me cry, frankly. As well as feel terribly embarrassed, anxious and unwelcome.

I'm sorry I broke a rule I never knew existed by offering my personal experience in a NEW thread to a NEW poster / potential friend.

I'll go away now until we get those sarcasm, sympathy, and tongue in cheek fonts that help more clearly convey intent. If I come back, and do more than just read and lurk, (I do learn a lot here) I promise I'll not mention anything I've ever mentioned before. Does that suit?

You *could* have pm'd me and explained all this without hurting my feelings or embarrassing me publicly. Since you didn't, I'll let my response stand.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

DeeAnna, Irish Lass, Czmaha, E Gent, Dixie Dragon, I'll miss you particularly. You've been friendly, generous, informative, and amusing.

Luv, Bubbles, and all sweet things,
Kelly Ross
[email protected]

~HoneyLady~

I in no way was trying to point you out or embarrass you. I wasn't talking about your individual post. The Original post as I tried to explain was from 2008. I merely meant that if you started a new post and if something was pertinent to the original post you could link to it. That way folks would be more likely to read it. As dibbles said, we as moderators point this out to folks on a regular basis. I'm sorry if this made you cry, it wasn't my intention at all.

 

[Lin19687]

I think to make this not happen to a "Sticky" thread is to lock them all.

 

[Relle]

This not only happens to sticky threads, it's happening to ALL threads, we can't go and lock everything after a certain date, time does not permit this, it's up to members to look at the date of the thread they are replying to.