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The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2002, constructed very strict organic dog food label rules to help dog owners become more informed as to what exactly the organic content of each dog food means. Below is a list, with explanations, of the different types of organic dog food labels. A.) 100% Organic – Generally these dog foods have a single ingredient. If an organic dog food has this on the label, than the dog food must only have certified organic ingredients. B.) Organic – All organic dog food labels that have this listing must have 95% - 100% certified organic ingredients. Some vitamins and minerals may not be available in organic form, which is the reason why they may not use the 100% Organic label. C.) Made with Organic Ingredients - Organic dog food labels that signify this category must have a minimum of 70% certified organic ingredients. Up to three of the organic ingredients can be listed on the principle display panel. A certifying agency mark may also be shown, but a USDA symbol may not. D.) Less Than 70% Organic Ingredients – Dog Foods that contain less than 70% certified organic ingredients cannot use the term organic anywhere on the packaging except in the ingredient statement. Buyer beware. There are bad apples in the bunch. Some products try to skirt around the rules by incorporating the word organic in the trademark name, which leaves an impression that it is in fact an organic product. This is not always the case and one should always double check the label to see what ingredients are used and to also check for the stamp of approval from the third party rating agency. Additionally, any dog food that claims to contain any organic elements must have listed on the label the name and address of the agency that rated and certified the product.
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