---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 6511"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "6511"
heading: "Additional guidelines"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/6511"
units:
  - "Chapter 94 — Organic Certification"
---

# §6511. Additional guidelines

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20), the applicable [governing State official](/usc/7/6502.md?p=7), and the [certifying agent](/usc/7/6502.md?p=3-A) shall utilize a system of residue testing to test products sold or labeled as [organically produced](/usc/7/6502.md?p=15) under this chapter to assist in the enforcement of this chapter.
- (b) **Preharvest testing—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20), the applicable [governing State official](/usc/7/6502.md?p=7), or the [certifying agent](/usc/7/6502.md?p=3-A) may require preharvest tissue testing of any crop grown on soil suspected of harboring contaminants.
- (c) **Compliance review—**
  - (1) **Inspection—** If the [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20), the applicable [governing State official](/usc/7/6502.md?p=7), or the [certifying agent](/usc/7/6502.md?p=3-A) determines that an [agricultural product](/usc/7/6502.md?p=1) sold or labeled as [organically produced](/usc/7/6502.md?p=15) under this chapter contains any detectable [pesticide](/usc/7/6502.md?p=17) or other non-organic residue or prohibited natural substance the [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20), the applicable [governing State official](/usc/7/6502.md?p=7), or the [certifying agent](/usc/7/6502.md?p=3-A) shall conduct an investigation to determine if the organic certification program has been violated, and may require the [producer](/usc/7/6502.md?p=19) or [handler](/usc/7/6502.md?p=9) of such product to prove that any prohibited substance was not applied to such product.
  - (2) **Removal of organic label—** If, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20), the applicable [governing State official](/usc/7/6502.md?p=7), or the [certifying agent](/usc/7/6502.md?p=3-A), the investigation conducted under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) indicates that the residue is—
    - (A) the result of intentional application of a prohibited substance; or
    - (B) present at levels that are greater than unavoidable residual environmental contamination as prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6502.md?p=20) or the applicable [governing State official](/usc/7/6502.md?p=7) in consultation with the appropriate environmental regulatory agencies;

    such [agricultural product](/usc/7/6502.md?p=1) shall not be sold or labeled as [organically produced](/usc/7/6502.md?p=15) under this chapter.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXI, § 2112, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3942; Pub. L. 102–237, title X, § 1001(4), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1893; Pub. L. 113–79, title X, § 10005(a), Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 944.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2014—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 113–79 struck out subsec. (d) which related to recordkeeping requirements for producers who operate a certified organic farm or handling operation.

1991—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–237 substituted “Preharvest” for “Pre-harvest” in heading.