IMPORTANT NOTICE
TO: CERTIFIED VINEYARDS NON-CERTIFIED HANDLERS AND PROCESSORS OF WINE AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES OF ANY OF THE ABOVE In cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service and its operation of the National Organic Program (NOP), the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is providing the following notice: EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY (05/23/2005), all organic labeling applicants who submit label applications for non-certified organic alcohol beverages must submit their label application to TTB with documentation showing that the organic ingredients in the product are organically certified by a USDAaccredited certifying agent (ACA) in accordance with the NOP regulations (7 CFR Part 205). Appropriate certifying documentation must accompany the request for label approval submitted to TTB. TTB will automatically reject any application that is submitted without appropriate certifying documentation for all organic ingredients listed in an ingredient statement or on the information panel of the alcohol beverage label. Appropriate certifying documentation is the certificate issued to the organic operation by the USDA ACA as specified in section 205.404(b).
This policy reinforces the responsibility of operations in maintaining the required standards of production, labeling, and marketing of organic products in compliance with the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and the National Organic Program regulations at 7 CFR Part 205.