Organic Education
Like most Americans, I love to talk about food. Where to eat, how to eat, what to eat – I love it! And whenever I talk to someone about food, I am bound to talk about Organic foods. This isn’t all that shocking, I know. But there is one thing about this that I find interesting: Every once in a while, I will run into someone who thinks that the All Organic foods are a sham, a scheme just used to charge consumers more money for a product that is not any different that a non-Organic product. While I feel that this in part to that persons own ignorance, I think the best way to handle this is to educate them. You might be surprised at how many people don’t know just how involved and detailed the USDA Organic certification process is. Here is a simplified overview of the certification process, as outlined by the United States Department of Agriculture. Remember: if it doesn’t have the USDA Organic label on it, then it in not certified at being truly Organic.
For Crops: Implementation of an approved Organic systems plan, outlining the following: Proactive fertilization system; Conservation measures; Environmentally sound manure, weed, disease, and pest management practices; Soil building crop rotation and soil erosion control Use of organic seeds No sewage, sludge, or irradiation Restrictions on use of manure and compost No residues of prohibited substances (cannot exceed 5% of EPA tolerance) No use of Genetically Modified/Engineered Organisms (GMOs) No prohibited substances, such as synthetic fertilizers or synthetic Pesticides For Livestock: Implementation of an approved Organic Livestock Plan (similar to that for crops) Access to the outdoors Access to adequate pasture for all ruminants No use of growth hormones, unnecessary antibiotics, slaughter byproducts, or GMOs. Sound Animal Husbandry and preventative health care No rotation of animals between Organic and non-Organic management. For Processed Foods: Implementation of an approved Organic Handling Plan No use of GMOs or irradiation Proactive sanitation and facility pest management practices Proper use of approved labels, as follows: 100% Organic (100 % Organic in all levels of materials and production) Organic (95% Organic at all levels of materials and production) Made with Organic ingredients (70% Organic) Proper use of the word “organic” in the ingredients list
Keep in mind, it is not really worth it for companies to falsely advertise a product as being certified Organic when it really is not. They can fined up to $11,000.00 for each violation. If you ever suspect that a company is using the label under false pretense, just contact your local state agriculture department. They can investigate these claims.
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But remember weigh your options, if it is organic but came from China I would look for other options, such as going to the local farmers market or growing it yourself. The advantages of theses two is that you will know much more about what goes into your mouth.
[quote=ranayg]But remember weigh your options, if it is organic but came from China I would look for other options, such as going to the local farmers market or growing it yourself. The advantages of theses two is that you will know much more about what goes into your mouth.
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I agree, you have to make a choice. Because of the certification process, though, I have to say that this choice is hard. I would almost buy produce that I knew was grown in a developing nation (IF it has been USDA certified), because I think it is important to encourage all countries to farm in an eco-friendly manor, instead of local produce that I know was grown using pesticides. It is a hard choice to make.
While most supermarkets have a section in their produce department devoted to Organic foods, it can be hard to know for sure that you are actually buying Organic. Here is a fairly foolproof way of telling if you are buying fruits and vegetable that have been certified Organic. Most produce have stickers on them, with a series of numbers used to identify them, and ring them up during checkout. Foods that have been certified as Organic will typically have five numbers, starting with a nine, as opposed to the four numbers found on conventionally grown produce. For example, you have an orange, with the numbers “4226” on the sticker. An organic orange would have the number “94226” on the sticker. Just look for that nine at the beginning of the number, and you have Organic produce!
cloverhart
thanks for that info it really helped me out because i wonder sometimes when it is all pushed together in one section
No problem! I know it can be a little confusing. I am glad I could help!