In 1990 the United States Congress enacted the Organic Foods Production Act which established the basic rules for a national organic program. The Act laid out general principles to govern organic farming and the certification of organic farming operations. It also delegated responsibility for developing implementing regulations to the US Department of Agriculture. In 2000, after an extensive period of public input, the USDA promulgated detailed regulations that set out the rules governing organic agriculture. These rules, which became effective in 2002, included prohibitions against use of chemical herbicides and pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and the planting of genetically modified seeds and included requirements that organic farming operations follow farming and crop rotation practices designed to protect and preserve the soil and to enhance biodiversity and soil composition. The USDA regulations also set up a system of organic certification. Independent certifying agents were authorized to apply to the USDA for accreditation as organic certifying agents. If the applicant met strict standards for experience, training, staff and facilities the USDA would accredit them and they could then begin certifying farming operations. The regulations also provided a tough procedure for the accreditation of certifying agents in foreign countries such as Argentina. The company that certifies de la Estancia organic polenta is called Argencert SRL. Argencert is recognized as Argentina’s leading certifier and is fully accredited as a certifying agent under the U.S. National Organic Program administered by the US Department of Agriculture. Argencert has also been accredited as an organic certifier by the European Economic Community and for Japan.

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