USDA Certified Organic has taken a defensive position in recent years against the proliferation of eco-claims, many of which are not as comprehensive, clearly defined or held as rigorously accountable, but which nonetheless influence consumers’ purchase decisions.

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At the Organic Trade Association’s annual conference in Washington… members debated the value and impact of eco-claims beyond organic to promote holistic change to agriculture systems and if or how organic should respond to simultaneously reinforce shared values without compromising its competitive edge.

“Eco labels … are everywhere. There are the old ones, like Organic and Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance, all the way around to regenerative, net zero, carbon neutral, and [claims about] plastics, fish and wildlife. Every week, every month there is a new label or new claim coming out,” Paul Schiefer, president of Amy’s Kitchen, told attendees at OTA’s conference.

Unfortunately, Schiefer noted, “sometimes claims can [appear to] meet the value proposition for consumers that they might not credibly have earned.”

In other words, consumers are confused, he said. He explained: Most do not understand the benefits that USDA Certified Organic offers and that it encompasses many of the popular single-attribute claims, such as non-GMO. Nor do they understand top competing eco-claims, such as regenerative.

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Regenerative is emerging as a posterchild for the types of undefined claims that rankle some in the organic industry, even though several certifications of varying rigor exist for regenerative.

But not everyone in the industry sees them as competitors, but rather as complementary or at a minimum on the same path to a shared goal.

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