Organic Content Standard (OCS)
STANDARDS MENU
What is the OCS?
The Organic Content Standard (OCS) is an international, voluntary standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of certified organic input and chain of custody. The goal of the OCS is to increase organic agriculture production.
Objectives of the OCS
- Provide the industry with a tool to verify the organically grown content of the products they purchase.
- Provide companies with a trusted tool to communicate organically grown content claims to the industry.
- Provide organic fiber farmers with broad access to the global organic market for their products.
Learn about our approach to in-conversion here and the temporary OCS Exemption for in-conversion cotton here.
Learn more about the benefits of organic agriculture at AboutOrganicCotton.org.
Key Points in the OCS
Verifying Organic Content
Chain of Custody
Credible Certification
Confident Communication
Stakeholder Engagement
Tools and Support
In this section you will find tools and resources to help with the process of implementing the OCS. If you can’t find what you are looking for here, or would like to access previous versions, please contact us directly.
OCS Documents
None available at this time.
We want to help you communicate about your use of the OCS. Check out the resources below for the information you’re looking for.
OCS Quick Guide – Talking points for the use of organic content in your products and what is covered by the OCS.
It may seem like a daunting task to undertake a full supply chain standard. It’s important to know as much as possible before you get started. The documents below are designed to get you started on the path to certifying your supply chain, or getting certified yourself.
Global ISO IWA 32:2019 Proficiency Test Initiative: Download here
In-Conversion in the Organic Content Standard- The Basics: Download here
In this section you will find tools and resources to help with the process of implementing the OCS. If you can’t find what you are looking for here, or would like to access previous versions, please contact us directly.
OCS Documents
None available at this time.
We want to help you communicate about your use of the OCS. Check out the resources below for the information you’re looking for.
OCS Quick Guide – Talking points for the use of organic content in your products and what is covered by the OCS.
It may seem like a daunting task to undertake a full supply chain standard. It’s important to know as much as possible before you get started. The documents below are designed to get you started on the path to certifying your supply chain, or getting certified yourself.
History of the OCS
The first version of the OCS was released in March 2018. The OCS 3.0 revision process began in 2019, and the updated standard was published on March 1, 2020. You can read more about our revision process in the Development Hub.
View the OCS 3.0 Consultation Feedback Summary for a summary of comments received during the Public Stakeholder Review period.