The USDA organic seal is an official mark protected by federal regulation and overseen by the National Organic Program (NOP), a program in the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Certified farms and businesses are authorized to use the seal to identify their products as organic.
How is use of the USDA Organic seal protected?
The USDA organic seal is protected in two ways:
- Organic regulations: People who sell or label a product "organic" when they know it does not meet USDA standards can be assessed a financial penalty with fines of several thousands of dollars for each violation (see 7 CFR 3.91(i)(b)(xxxvi)).
- Trademark law: USDA has trademarked the organic seal. This authorizes us to further restrict its use to certified organic goods or services under U.S. trademark laws. The trademark authority protects the “USDA organic” name and logo from misuse. The USDA organic trademark is searchable in the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS).
For questions about the USDA organic seal trademark, see the Labeling Organic Products webpage
The organic seal may be used with or without the registration symbol (color and black & white options are available below).
Before downloading a copy of the USDA Organic Seal (referred to as the "USDA Seal" in the regulations), read the Required Specifications as Found in the National Organic Program Regulations.
NOP Regulations: Subpart D - Labels, Labeling, and Market Information
The labeling requirements of the NOP apply to raw, fresh products and processed products that contain organic agricultural ingredients. Agricultural products that are sold, labeled, or represented as organic must be produced and processed in accordance with the NOP standards. Except for operations whose gross income from organic sales totals $5,000 or less, farm and processing operations that grow and process organic agricultural products must be certified by USDA-accredited certifying agents.
§ 205.311 USDA Seal.
(a) The USDA seal described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section may be used only for raw or processed agricultural products described in paragraphs (a), (b), (e)(1), and (e)(2) of § 205.301.
(b) The USDA seal must replicate the form and design of the example in figure 1 and must be printed legibly and conspicuously:
(1) On a white background with a brown outer circle and with the term, “USDA,” in green overlaying a white upper semicircle and with the term, “organic,” in white overlaying the green lower half circle; or
(2) On a white or transparent background with black outer circle and black “USDA” on a white or transparent upper half of the circle with a contrasting white or transparent "organic" on the black lower half circle.
(3) The green or black lower half circle may have four light lines running from left to right and disappearing at the point on the right horizon to resemble a cultivated field.
§§ 205.312-205.399 [Reserved]
Organic Seal Pantone Matching System (PMS) Colors
- Green = PMS 348
- Brown = PMS 175
Four Color Organic Seal
- No Symbol
- With Registration Symbol
Black and White Organic Seal
- No Symbol
- With Registration Symbol
