Important of organic
Organic Production
Organic production is a very specialized process: so specialized that products must pass specific requirements to earn the āorganicā title. In fact, according to USDA standards, which went into effect Oct. 22, 2002, every step of the organic production process is analyzed individually: from how the product is grown, to how it is processed and distributed, making āorganicā a select label.
According to the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board, āorganicā is a legal, defining term that denotes products manufactured under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act. The principal guidelines for organic production are that farmers āuse materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and that integrate the parts of the farming system into an ecological whole.ā
Whether a product is intended for consumption or not, it must pass the exact same inspection requirements in order to be deemed āorganic.ā For a product to have organic integrity it must be farmed in a way that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic pesticides and/or fertilizers, and it must also be produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, irradiation, sewage sludge, or other excluded practices. More specifically, organic foods should be processed with minimal amounts of artificial ingredients and preservatives so they reach the consumer as naturally as possible.
The big question is, though, how does a consumer recognize an organic product?
USDA Standards
Since the term has so many legal implications, the USDA has designed the āUSDA Organicā seal to symbolize organic production as well as very specific guidelines for using the seal. Though manufacturers do not have to specify whether a product is organic or not, they usually choose to do so, in which case the following requirements must be followed:
- Products that are completely organic, containing only organically produced ingredients, may specify ā100% Organicā on the label and can carry the āUSDA Organicā seal.
- Products that are made from at least 95% organic ingredients and have remaining ingredients allowed for use in organic products may also carry the āUSDA Organicā seal.
- Products that contain between 70% and 95% organically produced ingredients may NOT bear the āUSDA Organicā seal, but they can list which ingredients are organic on the ingredients listing.
Other Labels
Though guidelines concerning organic production and labeling are very strict, there are some other terms manufacturers apply to products to make them seem healthier or more environmentally-friendly. For example, a product can be considered ānatural,ā āhormone-free,ā āfree-range,ā or āgreen,ā but none of these terms has anything to do with organic validity. And while all of these qualities are good to look for when comparing similar food or non-food items, they cannot be used interchangeably and shouldnāt be confused.
According to the Organic Trade Association, ānaturalā typically refers to products that originally came from the earth. For example, cotton comes from plants, and wool comes from sheep; while both can safely be considered ānaturalā they may or may not be āorganicā depending on how they were produced. āGreenā apparel or linens, on the other hand, usually refers to fiber that has not been treated with chemical dyes, sizing agents, or other strong chemicals. Labeling a product āgreen,ā however, does not guarantee the crop was grown or produced organically.
Posted in: Organic Food
