USDA Organic - Certified is one of the declarations under the Ekko Score Organic - Chemical Free Standard.
The USDA Organic regulations are extensive and you should consult the USDA Organic Fact Sheet for specific information. In general, the seal applies to crops and to raw, fresh products and processed products that contain organic agricultural ingredients. Organic products are defined by USDA as being produced without excluded methods (e.g., genetic engineering), ionizing radiation, or sewage sludge; are produced per the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances and are appropriately certified as having achieved organic regulations, which are produced in accordance with USDA standards.
USDA certified organic foods are grown and processed according to USA federal guidelines addressing, among many factors, soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. Organic producers rely on natural substances and physical, mechanical, or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent possible.You can get more information on this Certification on the USDA Organic website.
USDA Organic - Certified sits in the ORGANIC Family under the Environmental Standard: Organic - Chemical Free of Ekko Score. One set of weighted Ekko Score points are gathered from each Family.
These are the claimable declarations & certifications under the Environmental Standard: Organic - Chemical Free . Please note that different certifications and declarations may be relevant to each category.
Yes, where the impact of the claim is similar. This is how it works.
IMPORTANTLY, SELF DECLARATIONS ARE GOVERNED BY CONSUMER LAW. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR BUSINESSES TO MAKE FALSE CLAIMS (INCLUDING IMPLIED CLAIMS IN A CONTEXT LIKE EKKO SCORE).
EVEN IF A PRODUCT HAS A FORMAL CERTIFICATION, THAT CERTIFICATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ENTIRE INTEGRITY OF THE PRODUCT'S MAKE UP.
An example might be a Handmade, Australian, Certified Organic chocolate that contains Palm Oil. Under Ekko Score, this product would claim Certified Organic and would self declare: Zero Waste Production and Australian made, but could not claim the No Palm Oil declaration. This would mean a lower score under the Organic - Chemical Free Standard, making the inclusion of Palm Oil clear to potential consumers, without detracting from its other assets.
No product is perfect, but some products are definitely better than others. Ekko Score allows you to make the best decision you can, or to put it another way, the least worst decision. And to make that decision with the confidence of not being green washed. Find out more about how Ekko Score works.