Bipartisan bill introduced to ensure continued advancement of organic

The Organic Trade Association commended the introduction of critical bipartisan legislation in Congress to ensure organic standards continuously evolve and improve, and to hold the federal government accountable for keeping up with the needs and expectations of the dynamic organic marketplace.

The “Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act (CIAO) 2023” was introduced by three Democratic and two Republican representatives to amend the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. The bill would provide a streamlined process for the USDA to review and revise organic standards “not less frequently than once every five years.”

“Ensuring continuous improvement…. is our highest priority in the 2023 Farm Bill,” said Tom Chapman, the Organic Trade Association CEO. “CIAO [will] ensure that organic continues to be a dynamic opportunity for growth and able to meet the future needs and desires of both producers and consumers.”

Although the USDA Organic seal is highly trusted by consumers, unregulated labels in groceries continue to proliferate, causing confusion and threatening to weaken confidence in the organic label. The federal regulatory apparatus has fallen behind the evolving organic sector and the market in the last several years.

Source: Organic Trade Association