Food and Beverage*

*Gold Standard requirements for supplements available upon request: [email protected]

1. Full list of ingredients (ie: photo of ingredients and processing aids on packaging AND full disclosure of ingredients such as “natural flavors”) must be provided, also showing artificial synthetic dyes or artificial flavors are not used. Food additives like carrageenan are also not allowed.
   
   A signed affidavit will be required with the ingredients stating that the ingredients are fully disclosed and you, the owner or Chief Executive Officer of the company are stating these ingredients are true and correct.
   
   AND
   
   
2. Certified Organic with USDA, or The Real Organic Project or BIODYNAMIC or other organic certifiers.
   Note: Animal products must also be organic which also means no administration of growth hormones or antibiotics. Seafood is Safe Catch Certified.
   
   List of acceptable organic certifications provided here:
   https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/regulatory/usda-accredits-organic-certifiers
   
   AND
   
   
3. Glyphosate Residue Free Certification by Detox Project preferred. Previous glyphosate test results (within 6 months) from other ISO-accredited labs may be accepted if they meet best practices methodology and level of quantification limits, such as AGQ with Best Practices Limit of 10 ppb of glyphosate and AMPA. If the company has not tested that product for glyphosate within the past 6 months, they will pay for and allow MAA to send a sample to an accredited lab to qualify.
   
   Note: Brands that have allergy-friendly (void of gluten, milk, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts), fish, shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp), soy, and wheat products will receive a free social media post. Provide an image of the packaging showing allergy-friendly symbols to be considered for this promotion.
   
   

1. NON-GMO Project Verified if the ingredients are currently on the market in GMO varieties as well. SYNBIO ingredients are not used.
   AND
   
   
2. Heavy Metal Tested
   Pay for and allow MAA to send in your sample for heavy metal testing or provide previous testing dated within 6 months that include our required heavy metals: Arsenic, Aluminum, Antimony, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, and Mercury. MAA testing includes nearly 2x the amount of heavy metals as standard testing. Detectability of methodology must be at current technology - best possible practices. The acceptable amount present must be below Prop 65 No Significant Risk Level (NSRL) as established by the Office for Environmental Health Hazard Assessment of the California Environmental Protection Agency.
   
   AND
   
   
3. Pesticide Tested* - Company will pay for and allow MAA to send in a sample for third party testing of their final product. The product sample will be sent to AGQ Lab for multi-residue - 429 synthetic chemical herbicides and pesticides. Plus per sample purchasing/handling/shipping fee to MAA. You may submit previous testing (within 6 months) for consideration. Methodology and LOQ must match the best available technology.
   
   To meet our requirements, detectable pesticide levels must meet Best Practices Levels - meaning the suppliers are using best practices to eliminate pesticide and herbicide use and produce food in a healthy manner for the environment and living beings. Our brands must have pesticides/herbicides below the lower of 10 ppb or the USDA organic standard where levels may be more rigorous for certain foods such as 2.5 ppb for eggs and 5 ppb for pineapple, peanuts, and coconut. Our level of 10 ppb or less is, on average, 10,000X lower than USDA organic allowable levels. USDA organic allowable levels are 5% of conventional food levels.

Standards will change as technology evolves. Our goal is for levels to be not detectable. *MAA Gold Standard requires additional testing because incidents of fraudulent organic ingredients have been reported and chemical contamination is a health threat to children with autoimmune issues. 


AND

1. Animal products: Certified Humane, Animal Welfare Approved, Global Animal Partnership, or Regenerative Organic Certification, which includes animal welfare.
   
    Note: Proof of 100% Organic Grass-Fed Certification receives a social media mention.

1. Fair Trade certification
   
   • OR Regenerative Organic Certification which includes animal welfare
   • OR Domestic Fair Trade Association or Fair Trade USA
   • OR affidavit of fair local labor, meaning paid better than minimum wage and working environment standards are humanely provided in the manner of a signed affidavit by a CPA/bookkeeper.
     
     AND
     
     
2. Low to No Pollution Packaging - Proof of biodegradability of the packaging within 5 years (bioplastics from plant matter that is NOT from GMO corn or soy) from the packaging manufacturer required.
   • OR statement and evidence of mail-in recycling program
   • OR refillable program
   • OR glass bottles or steel cans with recyclable labels
   • OR packing made with recycled materials (50% or more)
   • AND Suppliers have confirmed that PFAS, BPAs, and their substitutes are not used in the packaging.
     
     AND
3. Regenerative Organic Certification, OR BIODYNAMIC - Demeter certification
   • OR Proof of 25% of purchases of ingredients from a farm practicing Regenerative Organic or Biodynamic farming required.
   • OR Proof of B Corp certification (which donates 2% of sales to charity) with 25% of 1% ( .25%) of revenue going to an organization that supports Regenerative Organic or Biodynamic agriculture.
   • OR proof of membership of 1% for the Planet with proof of a minimum of 25% of 1% of sales (.25%) donated to organizations that are working to transition farmers to Regenerative Organic or Biodynamic agriculture. Such as Kiss the Ground, Farmer's Footprint, Organic Consumers Association, Regeneration International, Green America, Rudolph Steiner Foundation (RSF Social Finance) for the Demeter Association, Cornucopia, and Rodale Institute.

All brands will be listed on our website.
Each month we will feature a brand.
Link to the website landing page: https://www.momsacrossamerica.com/gold_standard

*Requirements may alter as technology improves and better information becomes available.

Contact us for further details on pricing and discounted third party lab testing at [email protected]