Beginning in June 2011, Whole Foods Market will not stock health and beauty products that claim to be organic but don't have the certification to back it up. Whole Foods will require these products to be certified by the Agriculture Department's National Organic Program, or by NSF International.
Products that are not organic but don't claim to be, will still be stocked. The goal is to remove the uncertainty as to which products are truly organic and which are not.
There are no federal agencies requiring such certification.
"The Agriculture Department has been enforcing organic claims on food sold in the United States since 2002, but does not do the same for other items. The agency does invite manufacturers of personal care products to apply for its National Organic Program label, but it does not go after them if they make unsubstantiated claims."
Many companies do the bulk of their business through Whole Foods. It is possible that the Whole Foods policy could affect the entire industry, and ultimately become the standard. And shopping could become a lot less confusing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/fashion/15skin.html