Most of you have seen “USDA certified organic” labels on food items, creams, coffee, baby clothes or even dog food, and many of you probably wondered what it meant.

USDA stands for the United States Department of Agriculture. USDA runs the national Organic Program (NOP), which, according to their official website, “develops, implements, and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards for organic agricultural products. The NOP also accredits the certifying agents (foreign and domestic) who inspect organic production and handling operations to certify that they meet USDA standards.” Read more »