Is Raw Living Spirulina certified organic?

Although you may see the term “Organic” on some Spirulina products online and in stores, the truth is that Spirulina is a plant that grows in water, something akin to hydroponics. So that being said, it is not the intention of the USDA to deem an aquatic plant Organic…it must grow in soil to fall under the guidelines of the definition.

Organic-labeled Spirulina uses animal waste (Urea – Cow Urine) as a fertilizer in the water; it’s ONLY grown outside the USA, usually in China and India, resulting in high contaminants & heavy metals, bad taste & smell (from processing and storage), and is irradiated upon entering the USA. Watch out for organic Spirulina claiming it’s manufactured in the USA – meaning bottled, not grown. Raw Living Spirulina uses 100% earth-based nitrates & no pesticides, herbicides, or GMOs, producing the cleanest, highest-quality fresh Spirulina.

There is still a debate on how the USDA will resolve the issue, so until then, we will continue to grow organically but only hold certification once a ruling has been made. Our Raw Living Spirulina is grown in fresh spring water that we control. We use only natural & organic plant-derived nutrient food in our growing medium.

It’s important to explain “organic standards” regarding spirulina. USDA organic standards were developed for dirt-and-soil farming. Spirulina is an “aquaculture” crop, meaning it’s grown in large pools of water, not dirt.

Spirulina requires an abundant nitrogen and carbon source, and the USDA says that organic farmers need to use manure compost as that nitrogen source. That would be gross in large pools of water. You wouldn’t want us to dump cow manure into large pools of our spirulina tanks to label it “organic,” would you? Yet, that’s what the USDA wants spirulina growers to do as part of being considered organic.

Raw Living Spirulina is BETTER THAN ORGANIC.  We use clean sources of nitrogen and phosphorous that have nothing to do with animal feces. We wouldn’t even think of dumping animal waste into our pools! That would increase the bacteria count and contaminate the entire crop.

That’s why our spirulina is not “certified organic.” In our view, it’s CLEANER than organic, and no animal feces is used in its production (thank goodness). We always choose organic when it comes to soil-grown foods like berries, non-GMO, etc., but when it comes to aquaculture (i.e., foods grown in pools of water), the USDA organic standards make no sense. (The USDA needs to update its organic standards for aquaculture radically.)

Here is a video from our Microbiologist, who explains this very well.