MJBiz - July/August 2024 - 47

SUSTAINABLY
STAMPED
With organic labeling inaccessible to marijuana growers,
private groups offer distinctions
By Omar Sacirbey
M
ost products that are
certified organic by
the U.S. Department
of Agriculture-such as baby
food, meat, produce and other
items-enjoy a hefty upcharge that
consumers are willing to pay.
" The most valuable certification
on the planet Earth is organic,
particularly as it pertains to
consumer-packaged goods, " said
Ben Gelt, an adviser to the cannabis
practice at law firm Greenspoon
Marder and board chair for
the Denver-based Cannabis
Certification Council, a nonprofit
group providing education about
cannabis certification.
Without that USDA organic
certification, which was created in
2002, businesses are not allowed
Ben
Gelt
Most stakeholders agree the
USDA, as a federal agency, can't
bestow the certification on a product
to use the word " organic " on their
products.
ORGANIC DISAGREEMENT
There is some dispute over
whether marijuana cultivators and
products can achieve USDA organic
certification.
that is illegal under federal law.
" The USDA won't have anything
to do with cannabis, " said Chris Van
Hook, a compliance attorney and
director of Clean Green Certified, a
Northern California-based company
that is accredited by the USDA to
certify as organic federally legal
agricultural and other products.
Clean Green Certified also has
a private cannabis-certification
business, which is not sanctioned by
the USDA.
Others aren't so sure that organic
status is unavailable to marijuana
companies.
According to Gelt, the USDA does
not directly certify products as
mjbizdaily.com | July-August 2024 47

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MJBiz - July/August 2024

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