With the organic food industry seeing increases of billions of dollars in sales every year, it's no surprise that many new business owners want to find a corner of this new consumer marketplace. If you're looking to put your business into the organic food market, there are a few things that you need to remember. With such strict regulations surrounding organic food labeling, it's in your best interest to retain a business lawyer before you get started.

Here's a look at some of the legal concerns about the use of the organic food label:

How Does Your Business Become a Certified Organic Producer?

If your business requires you to handle or produce organic foods of any kind, you'll need to be certified as an organic producer through the United States Department of Agriculture. This process isn't one to be taken lightly. Your business law attorney can help you navigate the application, since you'll need specific information about the history of the land you're growing on as well as detailed information about the products you're growing or processing.

Finally, you'll have to include a thorough description of your production practices for assessment.

Once the agent reviews your application, he or she will inspect your business and your fields. You'll likely want to have your business attorney present during this inspection for your own protection and to help you with legal guidance for any questions asked during the process.

What Happens Once You're Certified?

Once you obtain your certification, you'll have to comply with the ongoing program regulations. These regulations are strict to ensure that any products labeled as organic are consistent in terms of the standards. You'll be given a copy of the requirements at the completion of your certification process, and you're responsible for being familiar with the current standards and any changes.

Labeling Your Products as Organic

Your business law attorney will tell you that before you can label or market your products as organic, you must meet the labeling requirements as well. You must be careful about the wording that you use on your labels. The best thing you can do is have every product label evaluated by an attorney before you put it into production.

To label a product as 100%, it must be exactly that. Every ingredient in the product must be completely organic. To put a standard organic label on your product, it must contain no more than five percent non-organic ingredients. Finally, if your product is between 70% and 95% organic, you can add a label that says it is made with organic ingredients.

If you want to launch a successful organic food business, it's in your best interest to start with a business attorney consultation. He or she can help you build the foundation that you need for a comprehensive organic application and can review all of your labeling and production processes to ensure compliance.

To learn more, contact a company like Ponath Law Offices with any questions you have.

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