What Does Organic Mean?
The word "organic" may appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk
or eggs, cheese and other single-ingredient foods. Certified organic
requires the rejection of synthetic agrochemical, irradiation and genetically
engineered foods or ingredients. Literally, of course, the term is a
redundancy: all food is composed of organic chemicals (complex chemicals
containing carbon). Any materials used in the production or processing
of organic food must be proven safe. Awareness is growing about the
value of organic foods. But, whether organic chicken or pesticide-free
lettuce represents "healthier" alternatives has long been a subject
for debate.
Organic farming is one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S.
Gardening organically is much more than what you don't do. In fact,
sales of organics have surged more than 20 percent each year in the
past decade. In terms of number of farms, acreage and value of production,
the organic food industry is growing at a rate of 20-30% per year. As
commodity programs are eliminated, more farmers have discovered that
organic production is a legitimate and economically viable alternative
enterprise. The growth in the number of organic farmers has increased
steadily, similar to the growth of the US
In current organic production systems, growers are not permitted to
use conventional synthetic organic fungicides in their disease management
program. Non-organic milk comes from farms that are allowed to use genetically
modified cattle feed, along with routine antibiotic treatments and synthetic
pesticides. Arguments have long raged as to the effects these hormones
and chemicals have on the bioproducts. Growth hormones in cows, pesticides
on produce and antibiotics in poultry are among the reasons many Americans
are turning to organic foods.
Organically raised animals may not be given growth hormones to or antibiotics
for any reason. Producers are required to feed livestock agricultural
feed products that are 100 percent organic, but farmers may also provide
allowed vitamin and mineral supplements.
The US Department of Agriculture finally put in place a national system
for labeling organic food. The new federal rule guarantees you, the
consumer, organic products that are grown without toxic pesticides,
herbicides, or fertilizers. Pesticides derived from natural sources
(such as biological pesticides) may be used in producing organically
grown food. Limitations in relation to which pesticides may or may not
be used, present the organic grower with some unique and very demanding
challenges. Food that is at least 70 percent organic will list the organic
ingredients on the front of the package. More than 40 private organizations
and state agencies (certifiers) currently certify organic food, but
their standards for growing and labeling organic food may differ. Even
with these labeling rules in place, consumers should be prepared for
some confusion when shopping for organic foods. For one thing, organic
products are not uniformly labeled because many farmers using organic
methods do not pursue certification at all. In addition, the language
contained in seals, labels, and logos approved by organic certifiers
may differ.
While consumers struggle with the fact that often, the availability
of organic materials is limited when large quantities are needed. More
and more people have come to appreciate the added dimensions of value
and quality available in the organic marketplace.
About the Author
Francesca Black works in marketing at Organic Items http://www.organic-items.com
and Pilates Shop http://www.pilates-shop.net
leading portals for organic products and natural excercise.