ByeGly

Updated November 11, 2026

How to read a label

Packages can carry several marks that sound alike. This page explains the three ByeGly uses, what each one covers, and what it does not. For more detail, see Certifications explained.

Step 1: Find the mark and read its exact name

Mark on the package What kind of mark it is What it covers
Glyphosate Residue Free A third-party residue certification Lab testing of that product. The program says no glyphosate may be detected at a limit of detection that is usually 0.01 ppm, with testing at least three times a year.1
BioChecked Non-Glyphosate A separate third-party certification with its own testing rules Lab testing of that product. The program says testing is yearly at an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited lab, with no detectable glyphosate at a limit typically of 0.01 ppm.2
USDA Certified Organic A federal standard, applied through USDA-accredited certifying agents How the food was grown and handled. Glyphosate is prohibited in organic crop production.3

The two residue marks are separate programs. One does not stand in for the other.

Step 2: Check what it does and doesn't mean

A residue mark (Glyphosate Residue Free or BioChecked Non-Glyphosate) means:

  • A lab did not detect glyphosate in the product at the program's detection limit.

It does not mean:

  • Zero. "Not detected" means below what the test can find.
  • That the farm never uses glyphosate. It is a product test, not a farm standard.
  • Anything about health. It is not a health claim.

The USDA Certified Organic seal means:

  • The product meets the USDA Certified Organic rules, which prohibit glyphosate in production.3
  • The label was reviewed by a USDA-accredited certifying agent before use.4

It does not mean:

  • That the product was tested for glyphosate.
  • That no residue can be present. Under USDA rules, an organic product can't be sold as organic if testing finds a prohibited residue above 5% of EPA's tolerance.5 Residue below that is possible.

Step 3: Read the organic wording, not just the seal

USDA uses four levels of organic labeling:4

What the front of the package says Organic content Can it show the USDA Certified Organic seal?
"100 percent organic" All organic ingredients (salt and water excluded) Yes
"Organic" At least 95% organic ingredients Yes
"Made with organic ___" At least 70% organic ingredients No
Organic ingredients named only in the ingredient list Under 70% No

Step 4: Watch for claims with no certifier

Wording such as "tested for glyphosate" or "no glyphosate" with no named certifier's mark is a brand's own claim. ByeGly does not list products on a brand's own claim alone. Those products are not on our list unless the brand's own page names one of the two residue certifications.

Step 5: Check the listing date on ByeGly

Each ByeGly product listing shows the certification, a link to the brand's page where we saw it, and the date we last checked. If the date looks old, open the source link and check the brand's page yourself. See How we verify.

Sources

Footnotes

  1. the certifier's program page ↩

  2. the certifier's program page ↩

  3. USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Synthetic Substances Allowed for Use in Organic Crop Production: https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/synthetic-substances-crop-production ↩ ↩2

  4. USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Labeling Organic Products: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling ↩ ↩2

  5. 7 CFR § 205.671, Exclusion from organic sale (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-M/part-205/subpart-G/subject-group-ECFR91a50748a9959c1/section-205.671 ↩