What is the OU’s policy with regard to Shmittah and Israeli produce?
For the past 130 years, there has been a great Rabbinic debate over the propriety of selling Jewish farmland to non-Jews to avoid the prohibitions of Shmittah. Though many great Rabbis advocated in favor of this sale (known as the Heter Mechira), other great Rabbis stood in strong opposition, and the OU sides with the stringent opinion when endorsing Israeli produce. During the Shmittah year, the OU certifies only produce grown by gentiles or packaged from sixth-year inventory.
