The National Organic Program that stands behind those USDA Organic seals on processed and fresh foods in the grocery store comes with a lot of fine print. Most consumers don’t know much about it, but for the $50 billion organic marketplace, it’s all about the details.
And the latest changes in those details, known as…
The USDA’s National Organic Program completed more complaint reviews and investigations that it received in 2017. It finished work on 462 reviews and investigations while receiving 379 incoming complaints during the fiscal year 2017 ending last Sept. 30.
Under the jurisdiction of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, the organic program recently updated reports on enforcement activities…
A newly published study of outbreaks linked to organic food concludes that while more data are needed to assess whether the risk is greater than for conventionally grown food, consumers should practice safe food handling in any case to avoid being sickened.
The study, from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,…
The folks who write POLITICO’S Agriculture Tip Sheet were celebrating an anniversary Tuesday. Not their own, but the one-year anniversary of USDA’s proposed organic aquaculture standards being hung up in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) at the White House. 
E. coli that is infecting restaurant diners in Michigan matches bacteria found in recalled Grassfields Cheese products and has spurred public health officials to warn consumers nationwide because the cheese was also sold at retail stores and online. 
Grassfields Cheese LLC of Coopersville, MI, issued a nationwide recall Wednesday of 20,000 pounds of its cheeses…
UPDATED CONTENT: A spokeswoman with the FDA responded to Food Safety News after this story was posted. Information on the distribution of the implicated salad and the FDA’s involvement in the outbreak investigation has been added below. One produce company is falling on its sword and another has become mum on the topic of an …
CRF Frozen Foods has expanded its recall of certain frozen fruits and vegetables to include everything produced in its Pasco, WA, facility since May 2014 after learning seven people have become sick with Listeria infections. Two have died. 
More than 350 products sold under 42 brands are included in the recall. The products were sold…
Canadian officials have linked an ongoing Hepatitis A outbreak to a frozen organic fruit blend of berries and cherries sold exclusively at Costco stores. 
Nature’s Touch is recalling its “Organic Berry Cherry Blend” because of the outbreak. Canadian health officials are particularly concerned that consumers may have the product, which has a “Best Before” date…
A California dairy that sells USDA certified organic raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products is voluntarily recalling its whole milk — that expired on Jan. 23 and 26 — in collaboration with state officials. Fresno-based Organic Pastures Dairy Co. posted the recall on its website and Facebook page Thursday. The dairy has recalled products…
Just as the dog days of summer arrived and news slowed to a crawl, something did pop up to talk about. “Recalls of Organic Food on the Rise, Report Says” headlines an Aug. 20, 2015, story in The New York Times. Based on data from Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS, a company that manages all types of recalls,…
Researchers at the University of Arizona are exploring natural methods for improving the safety of organic leafy greens with common ingredients such as oregano, cinnamon and vinegar. The team led by Sadhana Ravishankar, associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology, has found that by washing the vegetables with water containing plant extracts…
