Are you sure it’s “certified organic”?

Certified organic means that a product has been produced in accordance with specific guidelines and organic standards, as established by a certifying agency. A Certified Organic farmer must have each and every acre and bushel of grain accounted for and inspected yearly. Certified organic producers understand in advance that prohibited substances must not have been used on the land for three full years before the harvest
of the first organic crop.

Those who conform are Certified by the agent and allowed to use a logo, products
statement, or certificate to document their product as Certified Organic. In other
words, the certifier vouches for the producer and assures buyers of the
Certified Organic product’s integrity.

An increasing number of companies are now claiming their products are “organic”.

One absolutely infallible way to determine if a product is truly Certified Organic
is to look for a lot number. Many people selling commodities today are claiming
their product to be “organic” or” organically grown”, but without the lot number
you can be sure of one thing, it is not Certified Organic. A tremendous
amount of paperwork and documentation is required to ensure organic integrity.
It is one of the necessary “burdens” of being a Certified Organic farmer.

There are a number of international bodies that do maintain a strict standard of
requirements to meet in order to call your product true “Certified Organic.”
Search for products with the logo of a certifying body, such as a lot number,
on the label. For example: Our product has a lot number on every jar we sell.

This lot number will follow the commodity from the time it was seeded; until it
reaches its final destination.

Without a lot number, the organic claim means nothing as it cannot be verified.