What the heck does all of this mean… I had no clue before I became a pro in this area… I had to take courses and read so many books to get a good clear understanding why I should be paying double the price for the “same” foods. Well, the food is not the same and hopefully this will help you learn what exactly organic means.

The Definition of Organic

In the United States, organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic regulations recognize four categories of organic products under the National Organic Program:

• Crops: A plant that is grown to be harvested as food, livestock feed, fiber, or used to add nutrients to the field.
• Livestock: Animals that can be used for food or in the production of food, fiber, or feed.
• Processed products: Items that have been handled and packaged (i.e. chopped carrots) or combined, processed, and packaged (i.e. soup).
• Wild crops: Plants from a growing site that is not cultivated.

Seriously, what the heck does organic mean anyway?

So, for example, for fruits and vegetables to be certified as organic, they must be grown without the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizer, or sewage sludge. And for meat that is deemed organic, it must come from animals that have been raised without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics that are very widely used in the production of all meat-producing animals including beef, poultry, pork, lamb, etc. The animals must have been fed a diet that consists of nothing but organic feed.

That also means:

* Milk from milk cows that are fed only an organic diet does not contain growth hormones or antibiotics. The same is true for dairy products like milk and cream.

* Eggs that are laid by chickens that are fed only a diet of organic feed do not contain antibiotics or growth hormones.

You can think of the tomatoes that you grow in your backyard without the use of commercial fertilizers or pesticides as “organic”, however, you would be unable to use the term “certified organic” as defined by the U.S. government.

Understanding Organic Labeling

The USDA has established production and labeling requirements for organic products.  An overview of labeling the various categories of organic products is provided below.

Principal display panel: portion of the package most likely to be seen by customers at the time of purchase. Your certifying agent will review and approve each of your product labels to ensure compliance.

Information panel: includes ingredient statement (list of ingredients contained in a product, from highest to lowest percentage of final product) and other product information. 

• 100% Organic

  Raw or processed agricultural products in the “100% certified organic” category must meet these criteria:

• All ingredients must be certified organic.

• Any processing aids must be organic.

• Product labels must state the name of the certifying agent on the information panel.

Principal display panel: May include USDA organic seal and/or 100% organic claim.

Information Panel: Must identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark.

• Organic
  

  Raw or processed agricultural products in the “organic” category must meet these criteria:

• All agricultural ingredients must be certified organic, except where specified on National List.

• Non-organic ingredients allowed per National List may be used, up to a combined total of 5% of non-organic content (excluding salt and water).

• Product labels must state the name of the certifying agent on the information panel.

Principal display panel: May include USDA organic seal and/or organic claim.

Information Panel: Must identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark.

• “Made with organic”

  Multi-ingredient agricultural products in the “made with” category must meet these criteria:

• At least 70% of the product must be certified organic ingredients (excluding salt and water).

• Any remaining agricultural products are not required to be organically produced but must be produced without excluded methods.

• Non-agricultural products must be specifically allowed on the National List.

• Product labels must state the name of the certifying agent on the information panel.

Principal display panel: May state “made with organic (insert up to three ingredients or ingredient categories).” Must not include USDA organic seal anywhere, represent finished product as organic, or state “made with organic ingredients.”

Information Panel: Must identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark.

• Specific organic ingredients

  Multi-ingredient agricultural products that contain less than 70% certified organic content (excluding salt and water) don’t need to be certified; any non-certified product.

  Principal display panel: Must not include USDA organic seal anywhere or the word “organic” on principal display panel.

Information Panel: May only list certified organic ingredients as organic in the ingredient list and the percentage of organic ingredients. Remaining ingredients are not required to follow the USDA organic regulations.

Be aware that labels can be deceiving. You have to understand the language and the labeling so that you know exactly what you are buying. There are fines and penalties for mislabeling products as organic when they are in fact not organic, however, every once in a while something may slip through the cracks.

Check out the dirty dozen if you can’t afford all organic foods. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php

Does Organic Mean GMO Free?

If the product is labeled 100% organic, there’s a good chance it’s GMO- Free.  However, if the product is 70-95% organic, that leaves room for non-organic ingredients, which could, unfortunately, include GMOs. Organic certifiers want to ensure that GMOs are not used in organic products, but getting 100% verification that all substances are non-GMO just may not be possible and the National Organic Program offers very little guidance on how organic certifiers can assure there are no GMOs in their non-organic ingredients.

And even if there was a process to ensure a product’s non-organic ingredients are GMO free, GMO contamination can still occur in any number of natural ways: 1) via cross-pollination between GMO and non-GMO crops; 2) from trace amounts of GMO ingredients found in animal feed; 3) from seeds traveling by wind or by migratory birds that take root in the soil of an organic farm; and 4) from ingredient suppliers that co-mingle various sources.

Despite the unknowns of GMOs being used in organic products, USDA Certified Organic is one of the best and most easily identifiable ways of assuring that you are eating GMO-free foods most of the time.

Want to make sure you are buying organic produce? Look for the 9 preceding the 4 digit code. If it’s just a 4 digit code, it’s not organic. If it’s an 8 preceding the 4 digit code, then it is genetically engineered (GMO).  

You can also check out products that are certified by the Non-GMO Project. The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization committed to preserving and building the non-GMO food supply, educating consumers, and providing verified non-GMO choices.

Being certified by the Non-GMO Project does not necessarily mean that the product is GMO free, however, it is trustworthy, defensible, transparent, and North America’s only independent verification for products made according to best practices for GMO avoidance. Being certified by the Non-GMO Project does show, nevertheless, that the product has gone through a multi-step verification process that ensures the lowest possible risk of exposures to GMOs.

To learn more visit The Non-GMO Project