I Don’t Trust Organic Labels Anymore—and You Might Want To, Too
The Organic Premium Feels Like a Scam
Let me be honest with you. I used to be that person who religiously checked every label, seeking out the little green “USDA Organic” stamp like it was some kind of health guarantee. Organic prices rose 2.4% between January 2024 and January 2025, compared with 2.5% for conventional prices, but we’re still paying significantly more for what we believe is better food. Organic foods carry a premium price. They are credence-based foods, i.e., it is difficult for consumers to evaluate the premium aspects of organic food under normal use. The reality hit me like a cold slap when I discovered that fraud associated with organic food firstly deceives consumers who are then in reality paying for premium products they do not get in practice. We’re basically paying extra money based on trust alone, and that trust might be seriously misplaced.
The Fraud Numbers Are Absolutely Shocking
Here’s something that should make your stomach drop: from 2020 to 2023, food fraud incidents had recorded an increase of 1041%. This was indicative of the critical shift of risks that food supply chains are exposed to globally. Think about that for a second—food fraud increased by over 1000% in just three years. Food fraud impacts an estimated one percent of the global food industry and could cost up to US$40 billion annually. And organic foods? They’re sitting ducks in this fraud epidemic. Organic foods are frequently affected by food fraud, almost topping the Decernis Food Fraud Database ranking for fraudulent label claims, behind falsified expiry dates. When something costs more and relies entirely on certification we can’t personally verify, it becomes a prime target for criminals.
Those “Organic” Imports Might Not Be Organic at All
The dirty secret nobody talks about is how vulnerable our organic imports really are. According to data gathered from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) portal, there was a 5.8% increase in reported pesticide residue incidents in 2024 compared to 2023. These incidents, which can arise from the use of unauthorized substances or from legal pesticides exceeding established maximum residue levels (MRLs), serve as a reminder of the complexity and importance of meeting varying pesticide regulations. According to data from FoodChain ID’s Ingredient Risk Identification by HorizonScan™, the highest number of reported pesticide residue incidents in 2024 were linked to products originating from Mexico, India and China. As major contributors to the global food supply, these countries play a pivotal role in meeting international demand for fresh produce, grains and other key commodities. The USDA has tried to crack down with new rules, but the damage might already be done to consumer trust.
The Loopholes Were Embarrassingly Huge
Until very recently, the organic system had gaps you could drive a truck through. Over the past three decades, the growth of the organic industry has out-scaled its initial regulations. That’s led to gaps in enforcement that allowed for loopholes and outright fraud. The SOE rule is part of USDA’s continuous improvement of the organic standards to meet the growing complexity of food supply chains. We are closing loopholes specifically in the certification process by requiring organic certification of more businesses in the supply chain, like brokers and traders that were not previously required to be certified. This better protects the USDA organic seal and keeps fraud out of the market. It’s frankly embarrassing that it took this long to realize that traders and brokers—key players in the supply chain—didn’t even need to be certified organic. How did we trust a system with such obvious blind spots?
That $71 Million Grain Scandal Was Just the Beginning
Remember the South Dakota farmer who made headlines? In 2018, for instance, a South Dakota farmer gained US$71 million by selling falsely labeled organic grain. But that wasn’t an isolated incident. In January 2023, two Minnesota farmers were also charged with selling crops grown with chemicals and pesticides as organic produce. Between 2011 and 2017 the largest known US organic food fraud occurred that not only misled consumers, farmers who purchased and paid for organic feed ingredients they believed were organically produced, but also farmers who were playing by the rules. The farmers grew conventional corn and soybeans, and then after harvest this produce was mixed with certified organic grain, diluting the organic grain and falsely marketing the whole. These cases represent millions of pounds of fake organic food that made it to our tables. It makes you wonder how much fraud is still happening that we haven’t caught yet.
Organic Doesn’t Mean Pesticide-Free (Surprise!)
Here’s a reality check that might blow your mind: organic food isn’t pesticide-free. Organic foods are not pesticide free, like many people may think. Organic farmers are allowed to use approved organic pesticides as well as some approved synthetic pesticides. There is a large variation in pesticide toxicity and environmental impact — within and between organic and synthetic pesticides — so “natural” pesticides aren’t inherently less toxic or better for the environment either. Overall, 5305 samples flagged as organic did not contain quantifiable residues (79% of the analysed samples), 1252 samples contained quantified residues below or at the MRL level (18.6%), and 160 samples were reported with residue levels above their corresponding MRLs (2.4%). The pesticides with higher quantification rate were copper compounds (688 samples, 78.3%, mainly in cereals), bromide ion (101 samples, 14%, mainly in tomatoes, lettuces and oat) and chlorates (86 samples, 8.6%, mainly in buckwheat and other pseudo-cereals). The pesticides exceeding the MRL the most was copper compounds (105 samples, 12%). So much for that “chemical-free” assumption we’ve been sold.
The Marketing Machine Is Playing Us Like Fiddles
The organic marketing playbook is incredibly sophisticated, and we’re all falling for it. Food labels frequently use carefully crafted language that misleads consumers to believe the products are healthier or more sustainable than they actually are. Choosing healthy foods at the grocery store can be challenging, especially when the average consumer is up against a multi-billion dollar marketing industry with expertise in selling products and misleading shoppers. In 2024, consumers who participated in a survey agreed most with organic marketing claims indicating that organic products do not contain GMOs and toxic pesticides. 50 percent of respondents agreed with organic marketing claims stating that products are healthier and protect animal health and welfare. The almost $14 billion that food, beverage, and restaurant companies spend on marketing every year. The goal of selling more products is at the root of misleading labels, as companies attempt to use trigger words that describe flavors, ingredients, and their sources to attract consumers. We’re being manipulated by expert marketers who know exactly which emotional buttons to push.
The Certification Process Has Some Serious Blind Spots
Even when the system works “correctly,” there are concerning issues with organic certification. Organic livestock are required to have year-round access to the outdoors, but not all farms provide ample pasture. Congress passed a bill allowing hydroponic production under the organic seal. Many organic farmers feel strongly that soil is the essence of organic, and hydroponic requires no soil. It is possible to buy a product with the organic label that was grown indoors under artificial light and without soil. Although some egg cartons bear the organic seal, the chickens’ “outdoor access” was to an enclosed porch rather than true pasture. This case highlights OCGs operating through supply networks where institutional trust guardians such as third-party certification companies were set up to imply governance oversight and were indeed actors that were a key part of the mode of execution of the crime. Sometimes the very companies supposed to protect us are part of the problem.
Follow the Money Trail and Everything Makes Sense
Let’s talk numbers that should alarm every consumer. The global organic food and beverages market size was valued at USD 231.52 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.9% from 2024 to 2030. As of 2024, certified organic products accounted for 5.7% of all Food sold through retail channels in the U.S.. When there’s this much money involved, fraud becomes incredibly tempting. To explain drivers of greater fraud risks within the industry, food lawyer Baylen Linnekin writes that the organic label gives producers the “opportunity to charge consumers more for that beef or celery.” This financial boost incentivizes fraud, as corporations and farmers may be more tempted to mislabel inorganic foods as organic products. These include economic drivers such as the price asymmetry between organic and conventional food products creating economic pressure and the motivation to substitute, mislead or deceive. The bigger the organic industry gets, the bigger the target it becomes for criminals looking to make a quick buck.
The New Rules Might Be Too Little, Too Late
The USDA finally rolled out its Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule in 2024, but I’m not convinced it’s enough. To ensure organic remains a reliable certification for shoppers, NOP issued its Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule that went into effect on March 20, 2023. Operations and certifiers must fully comply with the rule by March 19, 2024. The SOE closes loopholes that had enabled ingredients that do not meet NOP standards to enter the organic supply chain, leading to fraud. Tom Chapman of the Organic Trade Association said the updates are “the single largest revision to the organic standards since they were published in 1990”. While these changes sound good on paper, Over the last three months, the net change in USDA NOP certified organic operations in the US was essentially zero. A non-compliant company not only affects its own business but others in the organic supply chain. Based on the USDA NOP data, I believe non-compliance is going to happen and be disruptive. The industry is already showing signs of strain, and enforcement remains a massive challenge.
Your Organic Food Might Still Have Pesticides From Decades Ago
Here’s something that really messe
