---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 6505"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "6505"
heading: "Compliance requirements"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/6505"
units:
  - "Chapter 94 — Organic Certification"
---

# §6505. Compliance requirements

- (a) **Domestic products—**
  - (1) **In general—** On or after October 1, 1993—
    - (A) a [person](/usc/7/6502.md?p=16) may sell or label an [agricultural product](/usc/7/6502.md?p=1) as [organically produced](/usc/7/6502.md?p=15) only if such product is produced and handled in accordance with this chapter; and
    - (B) no [person](/usc/7/6502.md?p=16) may affix a label to, or provide other [market](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) information concerning, an [agricultural product](/usc/7/6502.md?p=1) if such label or information implies, directly or indirectly, that such product is produced and handled using organic methods, except in accordance with this chapter.
  - (2) **USDA standards and seal—** A label affixed, or other [market](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) information provided, in accordance with [paragraph (1)](#a-1) may indicate that the [agricultural product](/usc/7/6502.md?p=1) meets Department of Agriculture standards for organic production and may incorporate the Department of Agriculture seal.
- (b) **Imported products—** Imported [agricultural products](/usc/7/6502.md?p=1) may be sold or labeled as [organically produced](/usc/7/6502.md?p=15) if the [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20) determines that such products have been produced and handled under an organic certification program that provides safeguards and guidelines governing the production and handling of such products that are at least equivalent to the requirements of this chapter.
- (c) **Exemptions for processed food—** [Subsection (a)](#a) shall not apply to [agricultural products](/usc/7/6502.md?p=1) that—
  - (1) contain at least 50 percent [organically produced](/usc/7/6502.md?p=15) ingredients by weight, excluding water and salt, to the extent that the [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20), in consultation with the National Organic Standards Board and the [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20) of Health and Human Services, has determined to permit the word “organic” to be used on the principal display panel of such products only for the purpose of describing the [organically produced](/usc/7/6502.md?p=15) ingredients; or
  - (2) contain less than 50 percent [organically produced](/usc/7/6502.md?p=15) ingredients by weight, excluding water and salt, to the extent that the [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20), in consultation with the National Organic Standards Board and the [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20) of Health and Human Services, has determined to permit the word “organic” to appear on the ingredient listing panel to describe those ingredients that are [organically produced](/usc/7/6502.md?p=15) in accordance with this chapter.
- (d) **Small farmer exemption—** [Subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) shall not apply to [persons](/usc/7/6502.md?p=16) who sell no more than $5,000 annually in value of [agricultural products](/usc/7/6502.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXI, § 2106, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3937.)