Certification explainers
These short explainers describe what each certification covers. None of them is a health claim. “Not detected” is not the same as zero.
Glyphosate Residue Free
This is a third-party certification for a product or an ingredient. It is not a certification of a whole farm.
An independent laboratory tests a sample. If the lab does not detect glyphosate at its limit of detection — usually about 0.01 parts per million — the product may carry the Glyphosate Residue Free mark. That figure is a detection limit. It is not a finding of zero. It is not a health claim.
The result speaks to the sample that was tested. It does not prove that a farm never uses glyphosate, and it does not, by itself, speak to a later lot.
On ByeGly, a product gets this label only when the brand's own public page names Glyphosate Residue Free. We do not copy any certifier's directory, table, text, or logo.
BioChecked Non-Glyphosate
This is a separate third-party certification. It is not the same program as Glyphosate Residue Free, and we never combine the two labels.
The program's public standard asks the producer to have the product tested each year by an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory, using LC-MS/MS methods. The laboratory's limit of detection is typically about 0.01 parts per million. The product may be certified when the lab does not detect glyphosate at that limit. The program reviews the results, may request a spot check, and reviews certification on a yearly cycle.
As with any residue test, “not detected” is not the same as zero. It is not a health claim. The result applies to the tested product, not to a farm's practices as a whole.
On ByeGly, this label is used only when a brand's own public page names BioChecked Non-Glyphosate.
CleanScan Certificate of Compliance
This is a separate named residue certification we confirmed at the source we link. We keep it separate from the other certifications and never merge the labels.
As with any residue test, “not detected” is not the same as zero. It applies to the tested product, not to a farm's practices as a whole. A listing is not a health claim.
On ByeGly, this label is used when the brand's own product page or the certifier's directory names CleanScan Certificate of Compliance for that exact product.
Certified organic
USDA Certified Organic is a production and handling standard, overseen by the National Organic Program. It is not a residue test of the finished food.
In organic crop production, synthetic substances are prohibited unless they appear on the National List. Glyphosate is a synthetic herbicide and is not allowed for use. The U.S. Department of Agriculture states that herbicides containing glyphosate are prohibited in organic crop production.
That rule is about what a certified operation may apply. Residues can still appear from spray drift, shared equipment, mixing during handling, or traces in the environment. Organic certification does not mean a product was lab-tested for glyphosate, and it does not mean no residue is present.
Our farm list starts from the USDA Organic Integrity Database. It includes U.S. operations with a current Certified crops scope.
Comparison
| Glyphosate Residue Free | BioChecked Non-Glyphosate | CleanScan Certificate of Compliance | USDA Certified Organic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A residue certification for a product or ingredient | A residue certification for a product | A residue certification for a product | A production and handling standard |
| What is checked | A laboratory test of a sample | A laboratory test, usually yearly, with possible spot checks | Per the certifier's program | Whether the operation follows USDA Certified Organic rules |
| Detection limit | ~0.01 ppm (not zero) | ~0.01 ppm (not zero) | Per the certifier's program | Not a residue test |
| What it does not mean | Not a health claim; not proof a farm never uses glyphosate | Not a health claim; not a farm-practice certification | Not a health claim; not a farm-practice certification | Not a lab test; not a claim of no residue |
Glyphosate Residue Free
- What it is
- A residue certification for a product or ingredient
- What is checked
- A laboratory test of a sample
- Detection limit
- ~0.01 ppm (not zero)
- What it does not mean
- Not a health claim; not proof a farm never uses glyphosate
BioChecked Non-Glyphosate
- What it is
- A residue certification for a product
- What is checked
- A laboratory test, usually yearly, with possible spot checks
- Detection limit
- ~0.01 ppm (not zero)
- What it does not mean
- Not a health claim; not a farm-practice certification
CleanScan Certificate of Compliance
- What it is
- A residue certification for a product
- What is checked
- Per the certifier's program
- Detection limit
- Per the certifier's program
- What it does not mean
- Not a health claim; not a farm-practice certification
USDA Certified Organic
- What it is
- A production and handling standard
- What is checked
- Whether the operation follows USDA Certified Organic rules
- Detection limit
- Not a residue test
- What it does not mean
- Not a lab test; not a claim of no residue
Common questions
Does “Glyphosate Residue Free” mean zero glyphosate?
No. It means a laboratory did not detect glyphosate at its limit of detection, typically about 0.01 parts per million. A detection limit is not the same as zero. It is not a health claim.
Is BioChecked Non-Glyphosate the same as Glyphosate Residue Free?
No. They are two different certification programs with separate standards and certification bodies. We never combine or merge the two labels.
Does USDA Certified Organic mean no glyphosate residue?
No. USDA Certified Organic certification means glyphosate may not be used in production. It is not a residue test. Residues can still appear from spray drift, shared equipment, or environmental traces.
Why doesn't ByeGly list products with only a brand claim?
We list a product only when we can confirm a named third-party certification on the brand's own public site. A brand's marketing claim of “glyphosate free” without a named certification does not meet our listing criteria.