NOP is a federal regulatory program that develops and enforces consistent national standards for organically produced agricultural products sold in the United States.
NOP also accredits third-party organizations to certify that farms and businesses meet the national organic standards. These certifiers and USDA work together to enforce the standards, ensuring a level playing field for producers and protecting consumer confidence in the integrity of the USDA Organic Seal.
Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE)
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published a final rule to amend the USDA organic regulations to strengthen oversight and enforcement of the production, handling and sale of organic agricultural products. SOE is the largest regulatory change to the organic regulations since the final rule was first published in 2002.