Alternative Organic: Legal Issues in Marketing Uncertified Organic Products

Rita-Marie Cain Reid

ABSTRACT

This research scrutinizes the current state of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic label. In response to growing concerns about USDA’s organic label and what it represents, some non-certified producers are directly marketing their organically-grown products through personal relationship with buyers and eschewing the USDA-sanctioned organic brand. This paper analyzes the rights of this emerging “alternative organic” movement to market products as organically grown, without USDA certification.