Looking at the box - you would think "Japanese" Hope the tea isn't radioactive. Yet, when you look at the wrapper holding the tea bag and turn it over - it says "Product of China" LOL To be fair, I really do applaud the company for marking the Country Of Origin. So few do that - IMO, in order hide the fact the product was made/grown/processed outside of the US. What I fail to see is how a Department of the US Govt can certify anything grown and processed in China.
Looking at the wife's "BIGELOW GREEN TEA, CERTIFIED ORGANIC" I do not see a Country of Origin anywhere on the box or the wrapper (which holds 4 tea bags each). All it says on the wrapper is "Certified Organic by QAI Inc." Your box and this one is different but both are "Certified Organic" so...not sure what is going on. Best enjoyed by date is: Jun 2020 Code #1329869UF7 Blended and Package in the USA
You're assuming the USDA did certify it so. Since the product came from China, I would assume it meets the standards for Chinese certification.....which may be nothing more than the manufacturer saying "Hey....it's Organic" (because that sells better....ahahaha)
I wouldn't touch this subject "For All the Tea In China" OTOH The tea is imported in bulk and even with USDA Milk each bulk shipment from the Dairy is checked for chemicals. I suppose the gear exist to sample and check the "organic"ness of the bulk tea leaves. Organic PLU codes The number 9 prefix added to a PLU signifies that an item is organic. For example, #94011 is the code for an organic yellow banana. A number 8 prefix added to a PLU signifies that an item is genetically engineered (GE). For example, #84011 is the code for a genetically engineered yellow banana.Nov 20, 2012
[awr-gan-ik] Synonyms Examples Word Origin See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com adjective 1. noting or pertaining to a class of chemical compounds that formerly comprised only those existing in or derived from plants or animals, but that now includes all other compounds of carbon. 2. characteristic of, pertaining to, or derived from living organisms : organic remains found in rocks. 3. of or relating to an organ or the organs of an animal, plant, or fungus.
I got one of the big boxes (176 individually wrapped) of tea bags. The Product of China is on the tea bag wrapper. US Dept of Agriculture. Now in China I guess...
It is a agreement between to producer, packer, and importer with the USDA and subject to inspection and verification at the port of entry. Roughly 1%-2% of the *Certified Organic* imports are actually verified and inspected. All food imports run around 4%-5% inspection at the ports of entry. (That is the simple answer). USDA Can’t Stop Millions of Pounds of Fake ‘Organic’ Imports From Entering U.S. Some of the crap I see domestic *Certified Organic* Farms pull leads me to believe the domestic certified organic is not much better than the imported stuff.
