How To Become USDA Licensed?

By Lucilla Eiche


Any time that you see a USDA stamp on a product, it should click in your mind that the product is organically grown. Foods with this symbol are usually at least 95% organically grown. Businesses that deal with producing organic products must be certified by the United States Department of Agriculture. To be USDA licensed companies must be inspected strictly. After passing the inspection businesses can have the USDA organic symbol stamped on their products ranging from packets of seeds to foods in restaurants.

Businesses that deal with organic foods have strict requirements that they have to meet. These requirements ensure that the organic food in the market does not have any elements of chemicals such as pesticides. The requirements are different in different parts of the world. The Department of Agriculture is responsible for ensuring that the standards of production are met in the United States. The standards also extend to growing, processing, packaging and storing.

For any farmer to be licensed as a producer of food that is organic they should follow rules and regulations that are set. Proving that the types of products they produce do not contain synthetic fertilizers, food additives, radiation as well as other chemicals such as pesticides is one of the rules. The water that is used to grow the crops must also be clean and safe.

Another regulation that is stipulated by the United States Department of Agriculture is that adjoining fields must be free of any fertilizers or sewage. The adjoining fields must be clean for a minimum of three years. If the time frame is less than that then you cannot get certification.

Some farmers produce both organic and non organic crops. A farmer must also show how he has been keeping the organic crops he is growing far from the non-organic ones. Businesses must also agree to have detailed records of their production as well as receipts for any crops sold.

Surprise inspections are part of the agreement before any farmer or business is certified. Those who deal with organic meant also have tough regulations and rules to adhere to. To start with, the farmers are meant to prove that their animals feed on substances that do not contain any growth hormones, steroids or antibiotics.

Businesses that sell food must show that they get their ingredients from suppliers who are also certified by the Department of Agriculture. To get USDA licensed restaurants must also agree to regular inspections to ensure they handle food in the proper way. The food should not come near cleaning chemicals.




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