Aug 25, 2026 · 11 min · 9 segments
🌍 Ever wondered how your favorite organic products cross borders? In our latest episode of Trade Roots, we dive deep into the journey of organic products from the US to international markets. Did…
One thing that's good is that the USDA organic standard is one of the earliest organic standards and is also one of the most recognized food labels in the world.
But recognized by consumers doesn't mean automatically accepted by governments, especially, you know, the EU's got all its regulations.
Sure, yep.
Some governments have equivalency agreements whereas some expect you to meet their own standards and some don't really have clear expectations So as a small business, it's totally understandable to have questions about this It can be frustrating to go through a very complex and expensive certification process at home only to face similar challenges when you're trying to export your product and What are we here for Tiffany to make exporting easier? Yay.
Yes, exactly So throughout this episode, we're going to talk about kind of the basics of obtaining that USDA organic certification, what that looks like when you go abroad.
So equivalency arrangements that might be prevalent for some markets and what to do when there are not equivalency arrangements in place.
And we'll dive deeper into what everything that you need to know about getting your organic product to be certified organic in another market for export.
But if you're a small business or a small producer, this may be the first time that you've thought about what it takes to actually acquire that certification.
We aren't going to go into all the specific requirements because they do vary product to product.
But they are established by the National Organic Program under the Agricultural Marketing Service, which is an arm of the USDA.
Value added products must be made of at least 95% organic ingredients to carry that organic seal.
Certification is done by USDA accredited third party certifiers, not the government directly.
This certification covers operation, not just the product itself.
So everything from farms and handlers to the processors, each certifies separately for this organic process.
Why this matters for export is the certifier you use, the documentation they generate, and how your operation is registered all become relevant the moment you cross a border.
One thing that's good is that the USDA organic standard is one of the earliest organic standards and is also one of the most recognized food labels in the world.
But recognized by consumers doesn't mean automatically accepted by governments, especially, you know, the EU's got all its regulations.
Sure, yep.
Some governments have equivalency agreements whereas some expect you to meet their own standards and some don't really have clear expectations So as a small business, it's totally understandable to have questions about this It can be frustrating to go through a very complex and expensive certification process at home only to face similar challenges when you're trying to export your product and What are we here for Tiffany to make exporting easier? Yay.
Yes, exactly So throughout this episode, we're going to talk about kind of the basics of obtaining that USDA organic certification, what that looks like when you go abroad.
So equivalency arrangements that might be prevalent for some markets and what to do when there are not equivalency arrangements in place.
And we'll dive deeper into what everything that you need to know about getting your organic product to be certified organic in another market for export.
But if you're a small business or a small producer, this may be the first time that you've thought about what it takes to actually acquire that certification.
We aren't going to go into all the specific requirements because they do vary product to product.
But they are established by the National Organic Program under the Agricultural Marketing Service, which is an arm of the USDA.
Value added products must be made of at least 95% organic ingredients to carry that organic seal.
Certification is done by USDA accredited third party certifiers, not the government directly.
This certification covers operation, not just the product itself.
So everything from farms and handlers to the processors, each certifies separately for this organic process.
Why this matters for export is the certifier you use, the documentation they generate, and how your operation is registered all become relevant the moment you cross a border.
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