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What is “Organic” anyway? We all know it’s a good thing, and we try to buy it even though it’s a little more expensive. But what does it mean? According to The National Organic Program,
Organic food [and other agriculture, like cotton] is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.  Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.
What the labels means:
100% Organic: Made with 100% organic ingredients
Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients
Made With Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30% including no GMOs (genetically modified organisms)
Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package, but may not make any organic claims on the front of the package.
Beware, natural and organic are not interchangeable. Other claims, such as free-range, hormone-free, and natural, can still appear on food labels. However, don’t confuse these terms with “organic.” Only food labeled “organic” has been certified as meeting USDA organic standards.
The term “free range” is only regulated for live poultry. The government only requires that outdoor access be made available for ‘an undetermined period each day. So five minutes or an hour? No one knows but the farmers. And what about cows and pigs? There are no regulations for them at all. Anyone can put that phrase on their packages.
Hormone-free only means that cows were not treated with bovine somatotropin, a bovine growth hormone used to make cows produce more milk.
The term “natural” means that well, it’s natural. Cotton is natural. Just because most of it’s made with gallons of fertilizers doesn’t make it unnatural. It’s the “organic” that you want.
