Global registry services provider Afilias today announced that August 6, 2014, is the sunrise start date for its newest generic top-level domain (gTLD): .ORGANIC.

The worldwide organic movement is growing rapidly as people seek healthier lifestyles. Until now, however, it has been difficult to find genuine organic products and services on the Internet because .com and other Web addresses are not screened for authenticity. With the launch of .ORGANIC, the Internet will now have a special “organic” address, making it easier for Internet users to find bona fide organic products and services.

The .ORGANIC domain is restricted to organic goods and services that meet certain criteria. Addresses will only be available for products, manufacturers, producers, co-packers, distributors, certifiers, wholesalers, retailers and other qualified registrants who meet specified organic-related criteria as part of their domain name registration. Although the precise definition of “organic” may vary by location and jurisdiction, visitors to a .ORGANIC site can be sure that the site owners comply with .ORGANIC eligibility requirements. And for vendors, having a .ORGANIC domain distinguishes them in a crowded marketplace as being a seller of genuine organic products.

“Given the popularity of the term ‘organic,’ websites for many products and services now include this term, regardless of whether or not they are actually organic. A .ORGANIC address enables Internet users to more quickly identify true organic goods and services,” said Roland LaPlante, Senior Vice President and CMO, Afilias. “In addition, legitimate providers now have a protected space in which to promote their organic offers. In short, .ORGANIC adds value to both producers and consumers.”

Getting your new .ORGANIC domain

The notice period for the .ORGANIC domain Start Date sunrise began July 7, 2014. During sunrise, domains will be awarded in a “first come, first served” manner; however, eligibility during this period is limited strictly to trademark holders whose marks are registered in the Trademark Clearinghouse. The .ORGANIC sunrise period starts on August 6, 2014, and ends on September 5, 2014. Following the close of sunrise, general availability is scheduled to commence on September 15, 2014.

For more pre-launch information about .ORGANIC, see http://afilias.info/new-tlds.