What an organic food can say depends on how much of it is organic, by weight, leaving out water and salt. 100 percent organic: every ingredient. Organic: at least 95%, and the USDA seal can go on the front. Made with organic: at least 70%, naming up to three organic ingredients or food groups on the front, without the seal. Under 70%: organic ingredients can be marked only in the ingredient list. A certified product also names its certifier on the information panel, "Certified organic by" and the certifier's name. In the example below, a granola maker's recipe comes to 94.97% organic because of one nonorganic ingredient, three hundredths of a point short of the "organic" label, and finds the fix costs 7 cents a bag. Below are the tiers, the example, the label lines, and a free calculator.
The short version
- Work out the organic share by weight, leaving out water and salt.
- 100%: "100 percent organic". 95% or more: "organic". 70% or more: "made with organic" up to three ingredients or food groups. Under 70%: the ingredient list only.
- The USDA seal goes only on "100 percent organic" and "organic" products.
- An "organic" product's percentage, if shown, is no larger than half the biggest type on that panel.
- Organic ingredients are marked "organic" or with an asterisk in the ingredient list.
- Certified products name the certifier below the maker's name: "Certified organic by…".
- TaroStack keeps each organic lot's certificate with it, and each batch's lots for the mass balance. More below.
The four tiers
| Tier | Organic share | On the front | USDA seal | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 percent organic | 100% | "100 percent organic" with the product name | Yes | 7 CFR 205.301(a), 205.303 |
| Organic | 95% or more | "Organic" with the product name, and optionally the percentage | Yes | 7 CFR 205.301(b), 205.303 |
| Made with organic | 70% or more | "Made with organic" and up to three ingredients or food groups | No | 7 CFR 205.301(c), 205.304 |
| Less than 70% | Under 70% | Nothing about organic | No | 7 CFR 205.301(d), 205.305 |
In an "organic" product, the other 5% has to be organic too unless it isn't commercially available in organic form, or it's a substance the National List allows. "Made with organic" statements are no larger than half the largest type on the panel. A product under 70% can mark its organic ingredients in the ingredient list and show its organic percentage on the information panel, and nothing more. This is general information, not legal advice; a certifier reviews labels before they're printed.
An example: three hundredths short
Cache Valley Granola Co., a made-up granola maker in Logan, Utah, I use in these examples, is certified organic and makes its granola 30 pounds at a time:
| Ingredient | Weight | Organic? |
|---|---|---|
| Rolled oats, honey, almonds, sunflower oil, pumpkin seeds, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract | 28.35 lb | Yes |
| Dried cranberries | 1.5 lb | No |
| Sea salt | 0.15 lb | Left out of the share |
| Total without salt | 29.85 lb | 94.97% organic |
At 94.97%, the granola can't say "organic"; it can say "made with organic oats, honey and almonds", without the seal. The cranberries are the whole difference. Organic dried cranberries cost $5.40 a pound against $3.50, so switching adds $2.85 to a 30-pound mix, 40 bags of 12 ounces, about 7 cents a bag. With them, every ingredient but the salt is organic, and the bag says "Organic Honey Almond Granola" with the USDA seal. What the switch means for the recipe's cost is in how to make granola in bulk.
The label lines
| Line | Where | Example |
|---|---|---|
| "Organic" with the product name | Front | Organic Honey Almond Granola |
| USDA seal | Front, optional | The seal |
| Percentage, optional | Any panel, no larger than half the biggest type | For a product under 100%, such as "98% organic" |
| Organic ingredients marked | Ingredient list | Organic rolled oats, organic honey, organic almonds… sea salt |
| Certifier | Information panel, below the maker's name | Certified organic by (the certifier's name) |
How organic records are kept for an inspection is in organic certification record keeping, and how an inspector checks that organic ingredients bought match organic product sold in organic mass balance audit.
Get the calculator
Download the organic labeling calculator. Two sheets: the organic share, one line for each ingredient with its weight, whether it's certified organic, and whether it's water or salt, where the share and the labeling tier fill in; and what each tier allows on the front, with the seal and in the ingredient list. It's an ordinary Excel file with no macros, and it works in Google Sheets, LibreOffice and Numbers.
Where this stops working
The calculator checks a recipe. An organic inspection checks the year: every organic lot bought, with its certificate, every batch made from it, and every bag sold as organic, which have to add up. A recipe sheet doesn't hold any of that.
How TaroStack does it
TaroStack keeps each organic lot's certificate with it, and each batch's lots for the mass balance.
Certificates on the lot. Each delivery of organic oats is received with the supplier's lot, and fields of your own on the lot hold the supplier's organic certificate, so every organic ingredient on the shelf has its paperwork.
Batches with their lots. Each batch of granola records which lots of oats, honey and almonds it consumed, automatically, so organic ingredients in and organic granola out can be put side by side.
Sold as organic. Each order records the lots each customer got, so the bags sold from each organic batch are on the record, and every list exports to CSV for the inspector.
| The job | Folder | In TaroStack |
|---|---|---|
| A supplier's organic certificate | A folder | A field on the lot |
| Which organic lots went into a batch | Typed after | Recorded automatically |
| Organic in against organic out | Added up by hand | Batches and orders by lot |
| The inspector's request | Copies | CSV exports |
Lots, batches, orders and exports are on every plan, from $49 a month. The first 30 days are free, with no credit card. If you'd like a hand setting up, ask, and we'll do it with you.