USDA organic rules are changing. Is the food industry ready?

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture prepares to launch its Strengthening Organic Enforcement regulations March 19, some wonder if unprepared companies will get left behind. The new rule is the most significant change to organic certification since the program’s start in 1990, and there’s growing concern that large portions of the food industry — importers, brokers, handlers and distributors — haven’t made the necessary compliance changes. Nate Ensrud shares this fear. As an executive with FoodChain ID, one of the largest organic certifiers in the U.S., he’s noticed little action across the industry to meet SOE’s changes. Here’s why that’s a problem and how the industry can rise to the challenge. Read more