๐ฑ Short Answer:
Young Living does not allow the use of ANY pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers.
USDA "Organic" does.
๐ฟ Long Answer:
YL's Standards go beyond organic in their growing and seed sourcing processes. They continually test the water, soil & air on each of their farms. The soil YL farms on must be organic for 50+ years. USDA only requires 7 years.
USDA organic labeling has an allowance for pesticides and synthetics, whereas Young Living has a ZERO tolerance standard.
YL weeds by hand / grazing sheep and control pests with their own essential oils. Although this is safe and effective, the USDA would not allow us to do so.
The USDA certification would bind us to ONLY the pest control substances that the FDA deems acceptable for organic crops:
ยง205.601 Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic crop production
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/part-205/subpart-g
Seeds Matter:
A farm can have organic land and practices, yet use non-organic seeds (GMOs, hybrids, pesticide exposed, etc). The product will still be labeled organic, even though the DNA makeup of the plant material is not good. ๐
YL has always only used heirloom seeds and seeds from the last harvest, choosing only the choicest seeds from their own plants that tested at the best constituent levels. ๐ Check out their Seed to Seal process below!
www.seedtoseal.com