What You'll Learn
- What the organic claim actually means and why the label is trusted
- How Part 205 is structured so you can navigate the rules by citation
- Who must be certified and what the Organic System Plan has to cover
- How to manage organic control points to prevent commingling and contamination
- What the three labeling categories require and how traceability and mass-balance audits work
Watch Time: 13:28
For a handler just stepping into organic, the regulations can feel like a foreign language, and this video turns them into a practical path rather than a book to memorize. It orients you to where the rules actually live in the Code of Federal Regulations and how citations are structured, then follows the arc of getting certified, from figuring out who needs certification through writing your Organic System Plan, managing the points on your floor where integrity is at risk, and proving compliance at inspection. It covers the essentials a newcomer meets first, including commingling and contamination, the composition and labeling categories, the National List exceptions, and the traceability and mass-balance audits your records will face. Experienced organic handlers add why organic certification is worth the effort. Watch this video if you want the shape of the journey before you dig into any single requirement. Everything else in The Guide is a closer look at one stop along the way.
About the Featured Operations
Giant Jones Brewing Company
- Organic Brewery
- Madison, WI
- 4 Employees
- Certified Organic since 2019
A certified organic brewery run by women, specializing in strong beer styles such as barley wines and Belgian tripels, sold in returnable bottles. The focus on big beers lets it absorb the cost of organic ingredients. Its motivation is rooted in community, sustainability, and a belief in organic agriculture’s benefits for soil, water, and wildlife.
Tradin Organic
- Organic Ingredient Importer
- Aptos, CA
- Certified Organic since 2010
A global organic sourcing company importing bulk ingredients such as seeds, grains, fruits, juices, and cooking oils, aiming to be a one-stop shop for U.S. companies seeking organic inputs. It emphasizes long-term grower relationships built on trust and farm visits, with a stated goal of making organic more broadly available.
TCHO Chocolate
- Organic Chocolate Maker
- Berkeley, CA
- Certified Organic since 2009
An organic chocolate maker focused on flavor and sustainability, built on the philosophy that better beans make a better bar. It works directly with cacao-farming communities in Ghana, Ecuador, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Madagascar, co-creating higher quality, and at times helping growers reach organic status, all without compromising on flavor.
Organically Grown Company
- Organic Produce Wholesaler & Distributor
- Portland, OR
- 260 Employees
- Certified Organic since 1998
An organic produce wholesaler and distributor sourcing certified organic fruits and vegetables domestically and internationally for retailers, restaurants, buying clubs, and processors. At its core a logistics operation, it also sorts, repacks, co-packs, and private-labels. Founded to support local organic growers, it is now purpose-trust owned, serving a mission rather than profit and committed to advancing organic.