Our Organic Process

USDA Certified 100% Organic Mushrooms

Organic

 

There are only 3.6% of organic mushrooms in US market according to USDA data as of 2010.Mushroom Industry Report (94003) / U.S. certified organic mushrooms: Number of growers & sales volume

Organic

What makes Hokto Kinoko Company’s mushroom cultivation process unique is that there is no soil or manure involved and is done indoors in hygienic and environmentally controlled growing rooms.

 

What is Organic?

USDA Organic

In order to be called ORGANIC, a production system must be managed in strict accordance with certain rules and regulations, which differ from site to site. Organic growers respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and sustainable mechanical practices that nurture resource cycling, support ecological balance, and promote biodiversity.  The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO)

 

Organic Labeling Requirements

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA organic products have strict production and labeling requirements. Organic products must meet the following requirements:

  1. Produced without excluded methods, (e.g., genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, or sewage sludge). Policy on genetically modified organisms (pdf)
  2. Produced using allowed substances. View the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List).
  3. Overseen by a USDA National Organic Program-authorized certifying agent, following all USDA organic regulations.

 

Did you know organic foods are not necessarily pesticide-free?

Although pesticides are allowed in organic farming in some case, Hokto mushrooms are agrichemicals and pesticides free. 

 

Labeling Standards

Hokto Kinoko is 100% Organic

Labeling-Organic-Products-Fact-Sheet

According to the USDA, certified organic food products are categorized into 4 groups based on product composition – 100% Organic, Organic, Made with organic, and specific organic ingredients. (See The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations)

USDA organic does not necessarily mean there aren’t agrichemicals but Hokto aims to go beyond USDA Organic standard. No agrichemicals are ever.
Hokto Kinoko are free of chemicals and additives!

1. 100 % Organic

“100% organic” can be used to label any product that contains 100% organic ingredients (excluding salt and water, which are considered natural). 

2. Organic

Products labeled as “organic” must contain a minimum of 95% organically produced ingredients(excluding salt and water).

3. Made with Organic

Products Labeled as “Made with Organic Ingredients” contains at least 70% organically produced ingredients.

4. Specific Ingredient Listings

The specific organic ingredients may be listed in the ingredient statement of products containing less than 70% organic contents.

 

Our Certificates

Certified Organic Crops
FS-ORG_CRT_Grower_Hokto-Kinoko_032714

 

Certified Organic Handler
FS-ORG_CRT_Handler_Hokto-Kinoko_032714
 

Organic Food Trends

USDA Organic Certification has been increasing every year since its inception in 2002. The number of certifications has reached over 17,750 and increased 2.4 times in the last 10 years.

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, “U.S. organic food sales were $28 billion in 2012 (over 4 percent of total at-home food sales), up 11 percent from 2011. USDA has begun organic regulation of nonfood agricultural products“.

oct13_datafeature_greene_fig01

United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service – Growth Patterns in the U.S. Organic Industry

 

Remarkable Growth of Organic Foods

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the results of the 2014 Organic Survey. The top 10 states in sales accounted for 78 percent of U.S. organic sales in 2014, with California leading the nation with $2.2 billion. Additionally, the industry shows potential for growth in production in approximately 5,300 organic producers (39 percent) and reported that they intend to increase organic production in the United States over the next five years. 

the 2014 Organic Survey

USDA The Census of Agriculture – Sales from U.S. Organic Farms Up 72 Percent, USDA Reports