An Organic Union: E.U. and America Cultivate New Partnership

Call it an organic connection.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that the European Union (E.U.) and U.S. have agreed to a "historic" new partnership, opening their doors to one another's organic products. The two powerhouses are the largest organic food producers in the world, and U.S. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan is calling the development "a win" for the American economy.

"This partnership connects organic farmers and companies on both sides of the Atlantic with a wide range of new market opportunities," Merrigan said in the USDA's press release.

Together, the U.S. and E.U. organic sector is valued at more than $50 billion.

E.U. Commissioner Dacian Ciolos says the agreement will bolster competition in the organic food business because organic farmers and food producers will have easier access and fewer costs when they attempt to penetrate foreign markets. Previously, selling in both markets required separate certification processes, amounting to a lot of red tape. 

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Before sealing the deal, both parties scoped out one another's regulations, quality control measures, labeling practices and certification requirements to ensure all were up to snuff. In the end, they decided enough was aligned to move forward. But there was a small difference: while the U.S. allows antibiotics to control invasive bacterial infections in organic apple and pear orchards, the E.U. only allows antibiotic use to treat infected animals. The E.U. barred most non-treatment uses of antibiotics in 2006.

Organic consumers can take heart, however. According to the USDA, for products traded in the new partnership, "certifying agents must verify that antibiotics were not used for any reason."

See the full USDA press release here to learn more about the new partnership.