Food labeled USDA Organic that originates outside the United States is supposed to meet U.S. standards. But the same potential problems confronting domestic certification are exacerbated when food is imported. Employees of the third-party certifiers rarely travel overseas to make inspections. Instead, the certifiers contract with local firms operating in the source countries. Such an extended bureaucratic chain increases the opportunities for fraud and lax enforcement, especially when food is imported from places rife with corruption, such as Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
Food that does not meet U.S. organic standards can also be shipped through third countries with loose regulatory enforcement. Italian authorities point to Malta as a transit point where paperwork is laundered to mark conventional food as organic. Though sometimes impractical, the best guide when shopping for organic food is: Think globally, but buy locally.