Organic farmers comply with USDA’s National Organic Program guidelines and government-accredited certifying agencies to become certified organic. In the process, organic farms are inspected by independent organic inspectors to verify compliance with all the organic rules. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant, must also be certified. Farms that do not comply with the full set of organic standards (including certification) when sales exceed $5000 are not organic and can be fined if they present themselves as such. Farms using natural or sustainable techniques, may or may not be using methods consistent with organic principles and regulations. Many smaller farms that market directly to consumers use their personal interactions, instead of certification, to educate their customers about their production practices and product quality.

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