National Organic Program

In the United States, the National Organic Program (NOP) is the federal regulatory framework governing organic food. It is also the name of the program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) responsible for administering and enforcing the regulatory framework. The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 required that the USDA develop national standards for organic products, and the final rule establishing the NOP was first published in the Federal Register in 2000 and is codified in the Code of Federal Regulations at 7 C.F.R. 205. The core mission of the NOP is to protect the integrity of the USDA organic seal.

The NOP covers fresh and processed agricultural food products, including crops and . It does cover non-food products that may be sold as organic, including natural fibers (e.g.: organic cotton). Health and beauty products (e.g.: organic shampoo) can also be labeled organic if compliant with NOP. The USDA NOP does have the authority to enforce organic standards in the realm of health and beauty products, and were encouraged to do so in a 2009 recommendation from the USDA National Organic Standards Board. While the actual law does apply to these products, enforcement remains limited in this market. Regulations of the NOP also do not address issues of nutrition or food safety.

The National Organic Program grew from fewer than twelve total employees in 2008 to approximately 45 in 2015. As of April 2011, it operates in three divisions in addition to the Office of Deputy Administrator: Standards, Accreditation and International Activities (AIA), and Compliance and Enforcement.

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