Requirements & Process

The Non-GMO Project’s Product Verification Program (PVP) is a process-based program designed to assess compliance with the Non-GMO Project Standard. The core requirements are traceability, segregation, and testing at critical control points.

The following describes the process for Participants:

  1. If you are considering enrollment, please contact us so that we can answer your questions and help determine what the process will look like for you (e.g. how many products you want to enroll, what risk ingredients you have, etc.). Please also take advantage of our online cost calculator to generate an initial cost estimate for verification of your products.
  2. The first step to enrollment in the PVP is to sign a Participating Company Agreement. This contract is between you and FoodChain Global Advisors, which is the technical consultant to the Project and administrator of the PVP. The Agreement, which you can preview by clicking here, outlines legal parameters, confidentiality, fee schedule, etc. It is not a commitment to enroll any set number of products, it just establishes the guidelines for any products that you do choose to enroll.
  3. Next you will begin to upload product data. FoodChain will provide you with a username and password that will allow you to access a secure, user-friendly online questionnaire where you will provide basic information about the products you are enrolling (ingredient lists, production facility information, etc.).
  4. When all of the required information has been provided, your cost estimate can be more accurately assessed for your review and approval. You are then invoiced by FoodChain. Once payment has been submitted you are considered an official PVP Participant. Your enrolled products will be listed on the Project’s website, and you will have the option of promoting yourself as a Non-GMO Project Participant. For guidelines on association claims, please click here.
  5. Once you are an official Participant, a FoodChain evaluator will begin the review process. In the course of the review process, a FoodChain evaluator will mark products and ingredients with a “green light” or “red light” in your online questionnaire. Any items marked with a red light will have a comments section providing instructions on what is missing/incomplete.
  6. Following successful completion of the document-based review, the next step is an on-site inspection. You may schedule an inspection directly with FoodChain, or, if your facility is already certified organic, you may arrange to have one inspection that fulfills the requirements of both the USDA Organic Certification and the Non-GMO Project Verification. In cases of dual inspections, it generally takes an extra 2-3 hours per inspection (including reports) for facilities with a moderate number of products (and assuming the up-front review was not too complicated).
  7. Upon successful completion of these steps, FoodChain will notify you and the Non-GMO Project of your compliance to the Standard. You then have the option to begin preparing for incorporation of the “Non-GMO Project Verified” seal on your packaging (for more details about that, please see Verification Claims).