USDA Organic label requires 3 years of organic soil management, no synthetic pesticides, no GMOs, and third-party annual audit.
USDA Organic certification requires farms to follow the National Organic Program (NOP) rules: no synthetic pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers, no GMOs, no sewage sludge, no irradiation, and for livestock: pasture access, no antibiotics or growth hormones, and organic feed.
Land must be managed organically for 3 years before harvest can carry the label. An annual audit by an accredited certifier costs $500-$2,500/year depending on farm size and scope. Very small farms (under $5,000 in organic sales) can use "exempt" status without certification but cannot use the official seal.
Transition period
3 years of organic management before first certified crop
Cert cost
$700 annual audit for a 10-acre vegetable farm