Back in 1920's to 1940's writers in the United States and Great Britain introduced the idea that the health of the product consumed into the body had a direct correlation to health of a person. They advocated for a new approach to farming based off this ideal. Since those times, things have come a long ways.

The Beginning of the NOP

The National Organic Program, or NOP, did not develop over night. In the 70’s, United States activists formed groups and created standards by which they felt farmers should adhere to. Many farmers complied with getting their products certified organic with what became the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) seal. This model soon became the model for the Organic Food Production Act of 1990.

Certified Organic Food in the ‘90s

Organic sales started sky rocketing in the 90’s and congress then saw it fit to pass the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA). This was the beginning base of the National Organic Standards. Come 1997, for the first time in the organic industries business, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) fought for stricter standards on themselves.

Rallied together in 2000, the consumers and industry members bombarded the USDA with 275,000 petitions on the proposed National Organic Standards (NOS) asking for tighter standards for the organic farmers. In 2001, the USDA passed the NOP and it was officially implemented on October 21, 2002 as the USDA National Organic Program, or NOP. From this date on all organic product that met the NOP standards were labeled certified organic.

The Role of the NOP Today

The NOP is responsible for all the developing, implementing and administration aspects of organic agriculture products. This encompasses all the handling and labeling standards as well as accreditation of foreign and domestic agents that inspect any aspect of organic production to insure they meet the USDA guideline standards.

Basically, what the NOP does is govern every stage of organic food production. In order for any producer of food to be allowed to label their product organic must first go through rigorous certification by the NOP. This aids in protecting the consumer that the product they purchase is 95% organically produced and safe for consumption as well as know that what they are purchasing is truly organic. Business that do not exceed in sales over $5,000.00 are exempt from having to be certified, although still have to abide by the NOP standards and cannot claim their product is USDA NOP certified organic.

What Organic Means to the NOP and USDA

Organic simply means the difference in how one farmer produces or grows his product compared to another. Organic products are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and weed control chemicals. Traditional farmers use all of the previous. The belief behind organic farming is that it helps society out in many different ways.

For instance, practicing of organic farming reduces pollution, conserves water, and encourages healthy soil. Organic farmers utilize compost and manure to fertilize and feed their products. By rotating crops, tilling and pulling weeds manually, organic certified farmers lessen the weed production removing the need for chemical weed controls used by traditional farmers. This reduces pollutants in the air and chemicals on product. They utilize natural forms of insect control such as other insects less harmful to the crops, birds, and traps to reduce infestation.

Livestock for meat and milk byproducts are fed organic certified food as well as natural habitat food. Stalls are kept very clean to help prevent livestock disease. Use of antibiotics is prohibited as well as use of synthetic chemicals, artificial preservatives, or additives such as sodium nitrates. The National Organic Program inspects and follows every phase of the production of certified organic meats from the farm to the supermarket to ensure it is in full compliance of the USDA NOP standards.

No one knows what tomorrow will bring in the organic production field, but one can take solace in knowing when they purchase USDA NOP certified organic products they are not only aiding in the health of the environment but know exactly what it is they are consuming.