What National Organic Program does

The National Organic Program (NOP) is a federal regulatory program within the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service, established in 1990 under the Organic Foods Production Act. NOP's core function is to set and enforce uniform national standards for organic agricultural production and handling, prohibiting toxic pesticides, genetic engineering, and synthetic additives in certified organic products. The program maintains the federally registered USDA Organic Seal and requires certified operations to submit detailed organic production plans, undergo annual third-party inspections, and maintain farm-to-table traceability documentation.

NOP operates a compliance-based go-to-market model rather than a commercial one. Producers and processors seeking USDA organic certification must engage with accredited certifying agents—third-party organizations authorized by USDA—who charge certification fees directly. NOP itself does not generate revenue and is funded through federal appropriations. The program's distribution and enforcement architecture relies on a network of accredited certifying agents operating at global scope, domestic state agriculture departments, and coordination with the FDA on food safety compliance. Strategic advisory input is provided by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), a federal advisory committee comprising producers, handlers, environmentalists, scientists, and public representatives.

The program's technology platform centers on regulatory standards enforcement and traceability systems rather than proprietary software products. NOP aligns with federal, state, FDA, and international food safety requirements, enabling domestic and international trade in organic products. OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) serves as a technical integration partner for materials evaluation. The program's primary stakeholders are organic farmers and crop producers, organic processors and handlers, and organic livestock producers across the United States, all of whom depend on NOP certification to access the USDA organic label and its associated consumer trust and market premiums.

Name

National Organic Program

Legal name

United States Department of Agriculture

Website

https://usda.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The National Organic Program is a USDA federal regulatory program that establishes and enforces national organic production and handling standards, certifying organic farmers, processors, and livestock producers through accredited certifying agents and the USDA Organic Seal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal Organic Certification Regulation

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (926140), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Certification Services (AFALAMAA)

Keywords

• Organic certification standards
• Federal agricultural regulation
• USDA organic labeling
• Organic production compliance
• Agricultural marketing service

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Regulatory Services: The National Organic Program is a USDA regulatory program that does not generate revenue. It oversees organic certification through accredited certifiers who charge producers for certification services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The National Organic Program develops and enforces federal organic production and processing standards for products bearing the USDA organic label. It administers a certification and compliance program requiring producers, processors, and handlers to submit detailed organic plans, undergo annual third-party inspections by accredited certifying agents, and maintain farm-to-table traceability. The program prohibits toxic pesticides, genetic engineering, and synthetic additives and aligns with federal, state, FDA, and international food safety requirements.

Product overview

The National Organic Program is a USDA regulatory program that establishes and enforces federal organic production and processing standards. It operates as a certification and compliance program requiring producers to submit detailed organic plans and undergo inspections. The program verifies compliance with federal, state, FDA, and international food safety requirements for products bearing the USDA organic label.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USDA Organic Certification and Standards Program Federal production and processing standards for products bearing the USDA organic label. The program prohibits toxic pesticides, genetic engineering, and synthetic additives, requiring companies to submit detailed plans and undergo inspections to ensure traceability from farm to table.
• USDA Organic Seal The official USDA organic seal is a registered trademark used on products that meet federal organic standards, representing certification from the National Organic Program.
• Livestock Parasiticides Regulations Regulatory framework governing synthetic parasiticides in organic livestock production, with specific prohibitions on ivermectin and restrictions on fenbendazole and moxidectin use, including withholding period requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Traceability from farm to table ensuring compliance verification
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2018OMRI provides review of products for use in organic production and processing. NOP rulemaking in December 2018 addressed NOSB recommendations regarding livestock parasiticides, with OMRI playing a role in evaluating acceptable materials.
• National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NOSB is a federal advisory committee that advises the NOP on organic standards. Board members include producers, handlers, environmentalists, scientists, and public representatives who provide recommendations on substances allowed in organic production.
• FDAcoreOthersNOP coordinates with the Food and Drug Administration on food safety compliance requirements that organic producers and processors must meet.
• State Agriculture DepartmentscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState agencies implement organic certification programs, conduct inspections, and enforce NOP standards within their jurisdictions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ecocert: International organic certification body operating across multiple regions and standards. Comparable as an organic certifier with overlapping scope, though operating primarily under EU and private standards rather than NOP.
• OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute): Reviews products for use in organic production and processing and is referenced in NOP rulemaking (e.g., 2018 livestock parasiticides). Operates in the organic certification/materials evaluation space alongside NOP's standards framework.
• Oregon Tilth: USDA-accredited organic certifier serving producers and handlers. Comparable as a delegated certifier within NOP's accreditation network for crop and handling operations.
• QAI (Quality Assurance International): Global USDA-accredited organic certifier providing certification services under NOP standards. Directly comparable as a major delegated certifying agent within the same regulatory regime.
• CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers): USDA-accredited organic certifying agent that conducts inspections and issues certifications on behalf of NOP. Directly comparable as a primary certifier operating under NOP's regulatory framework.

Emerging players

• Regenerative Organic Alliance: Coalition behind the Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) standard, building on USDA Organic. Comparable as an emerging standard that uses NOP as a baseline and competes for premium positioning.
• Demeter Association: Biodynamic farming and certification standard that goes beyond NOP organic requirements. Comparable as a niche certification competing in the premium organic-adjacent segment.
• Non-GMO Project: Private non-GMO verification standard that competes for consumer attention in adjacent labeling territory. Comparable as an emerging private-label alternative that intersects with NOP's organic claim space.

Broad incumbents

• NSF International: Broad food safety and certification organization offering organic certification among many other standards. Comparable as a larger certifier operating in adjacent regulatory and quality assurance spaces.
• GlobalG.A.P. International standards organization for good agricultural practices with global reach. Comparable as a broader agricultural certification scheme operating alongside NOP in supply-chain compliance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/usda
• YouTubeyoutube.com/usda
• Facebookfacebook.com/usda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/amsusda
• Instagraminstagram.com/usdagov

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Organic Program