The federal government has unveiled new mandatory standards for organic foods along with enforcement tools so inspectors can keep falsely-labeled products off the shelves.
The new rules for regulation and certification of organic products will allow only products with at least 95 percent organic content to carry the new logo of the "Canada Organic Regime".
Multi-ingredient products with at least 70 percent organic content may say they are "organic" and declare the percentage - but they cannot use the new logo.
Set to take effect on June 30, these new labeling rules were met with praise from the organic food industry.
Organic certification in Canada started out with individual farmers coming up with their own regulations. In 1999, the government brought together these independent farmers to regulate them under voluntary organic certification standards.
This new labeling program will apply to organic products that move between provinces and internationally, although organic products sold within the province of origin are subject to provincial organic regulations.
Over the last decade, the popularity of organic foods in Canada has grown about 20 percent each year as consumers seek out healthier, greener options.
Click here for more details on the new Organic Products Regulations from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
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