Friends have long urged you to switch and, finally, you are heeding their advice and going organic. With the profound ardor of a new convert, you are determined to stick and commit to the organic lifestyle and promise to consume only organic food.
The only problem is, how do you distinguish organic dairy, produce, grass fed meat, and fish from their non-organic variants?
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There’s organic labeling, of course. It is a significant aspect of modern food packaging, guiding consumers in their purchasing choices. With a plethora of nutritional facts, ingredient lists and dietary claims, the word ‘organic’ on a label does seem like a handy guide to making organic buying decisions.
It’s unfortunate that some marketers, quick to ride the organic wave, have slapped the organic label on everything. This makes identifying authentically organic food more difficult. Thankfully, organic standards have been developed and have evolved through the years.
Anything labeled organic must meet the specific qualifying criteria set by organic standard-setting bodies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This article decodes and simplifies what organic food is according to USDA standards. Read on to gain a general appreciation of the strict regulations organic food producers must follow.
What It Means to Be Organic
To be deemed organic, food must be produced using approved methods that incorporate cultural, biological and mechanical practices that:
- Encourage the cycling of farm resources
- Support the conservation of biodiversity
- Promote ecological balance
Organic food must be produced without synthetic fertilizers, chemical aids, expressly prohibited non-synthetic ingredients, sludge from sewage lines, irradiation, and genetic engineering. In other words, organic food must be grown and harvested using only approved materials and methods.
The above general conditions come with specific implementing regulations enforced by the National Organic Program of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
What It Means to Be ‘Certified’ USDA Organic
Organic food may or may not be certified organic. How does certified organic differ from merely organic?
Certified organic food has been audited by a USDA-accredited agent, particularly on the way it has been made, grown, processed, or handled, to determine if it meets all USDA organic regulations. Any producer that wants to market, represent and label their food as organic and use the USDA organic seal must get their product certified this way.
However, there are exceptions to this need for certification.
Small organic operations are the first exception. Specifically, those that generate less than $5,000 in organic product sales annually are not required to get certified. They can use the term organic in their marketing and representations as long as they follow all other USDA organic regulations. They’re exempt from the certification stage, but everything else remains the same.
The second exception belongs to retail food establishments. Specifically, food retailers selling organically produced agricultural products do not need to be certified.
Even so, these exempted parties may not use the USDA organic seal.
USDA Organic Standards
The following are the USDA regulations concerning organic food products.
1- Crop Standards
Organic produce must be grown according to the following standards.
No prohibited chemicals:
The soil on which the organic crops are grown must be free from banned substances for a minimum of three years prior to the harvest of the produce. For instance, if you’re harvesting organic arugula in October 2023, the plot on which you’re growing said arugula should have had no synthetic fertilizers, chemical weed killers and other disallowed materials applied to it at least since September 2020.
Approved fertilizers:
The crops must be fertilized and nourished using approved cultivation practices, such as crop covers, crop rotations, and animal and crop wastes.
Approved infestation control methods:
The farmer controls pests, diseases and weeds primarily through physical, mechanical and biological methods instead of chemical substances. If necessary, regulation-approved synthetic materials may be used to complement these natural control methods.
Organic seeds and stock:
As much as possible, a farmer must use organic seeds and stock to propagate their crops.
No prohibited treatments:
Organic produce must not be enhanced using genetic engineering or ionizing radiation, and the soil on which it grows must not be treated using sewage sludge (i.e., the byproducts of wastewater treatment).
2- Livestock Standards
The following standards apply to any animal used as a source of meat, milk, eggs, and other organic dairy products.
Organic management timings:
Animal meat sources must be under organic management from at least the last third of their gestation (for livestock) or their second day (for poultry). Dairy cattle, goats and other dairy sources must be under organic management for at least 12 months before their milk (and products derived from their milk) may be deemed organic. Organic management means animals live in conditions that are natural to them and promote their well-being. For example, chickens must be allowed to roam freely outdoors where they can forage for bugs and grains, and provided a secure coop where they can roost for the night.
Organic agricultural feed:
Animals must be fed 100% organic agricultural feed. However, supplementation is allowed to some extent to ensure the intake of some vitamins and minerals.
Preventive health management:
Organic farmers must focus on preventive health measures and management practices. Animals that get sick must be treated, but after being medicated, they may no longer be sold as organic.
Minimum period out on pasture:
Ruminant animals like cattle must be allowed to graze out on pasture during the entire grazing season or, if possible, for at least 120 days. Additionally, at least 30% of their dry matter intake must come from pasture.
No prohibited chemicals:
Animals must not be given growth hormones and antibiotics.
3- Handling Standards
The USDA also sets handling standards for organic food products.
Allowed non-agricultural Ingredients:
Any non-agricultural products used in organic food production must be on the National List of Allowed Synthetic Substances.
All organic agricultural ingredients:
In organic multi-ingredient products, all agricultural ingredients must be organic unless that ingredient has no organic variant.
No contamination:
Organic products must not commingle or have contact with non-organic products.
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Distinguishing Organic Products
The term ‘organic’ is more than just a marketing catchword. It is a commitment to sustainable, ecologically balanced and health-conscious production practices, and adherence to these practices is strictly monitored and verified.
By understanding these standards, consumers can become more discerning and make informed decisions about the organic products they purchase.
