Kelly Rossiter
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There are all kinds of words being used these days to describe food; Natural is popular, and local is giving organic a run for its money as the hot trend. But when it comes down to it, Organic is a term with legal meaning as defined by the US Department of Agriculture since 2000, and you can't use it if you don't meet the standard.
What is Organic Food?
Organic food is defined less by what it is than by what is not: according to HowStuffWorks.com,
| Organic food must be produced without the use of sewer-sludge fertilizers, most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, genetic engineering (biotechnology), growth hormones, irradiation and antibiotics. There are lots of rules, audits by third-party inspectors, requirements for record keeping and requirements for an Organic Systems Plan (OSP) describing how their operation will achieve, document and sustain compliance with applicable regulations. |
There is a lot of debate about whether genetic engineering or approved pesticides are harmful for people, but even the Environmental Protection Agency says that pesticides may be harmful for children:
Pesticides may harm a developing child by blocking the absorption of important food nutrients necessary for normal healthy growth. Another way pesticides may cause harm is if a child's excretory system is not fully developed, the body may not fully remove pesticides. Also, there are "critical periods" in human development when exposure to a toxin can permanently alter the way an individual's biological system operates.
It isn't perfect; a lot of people don't think the rules are tough enough. It can sometimes be confusing about how organic it is; HowStuffWorks.Com explains that Foods labeled "100 percent organic" must contain only organic ingredients. Products containing at least 70-percent organic content can be labeled "made with organic ingredients." Those foods labeled simply "organic" must have at least 95-percent organic ingredients, by weight or fluid volume, excluding water and salt.
But it's the law. If you stick a label on food that is not organic, you can be fined up to $10,000. So it just isn't true that you "can't know what it is." And look at the alternatives:
What is Natural Food?
In most cases, whatever anyone wants it to be; outside of meat, there are no standards or regulations. Deans Foods, one of the biggest producers of organic food, is introducing a new line of "natural" foods, and making up their own definition. The Greenwash Brigade notes:
Dean's new "natural: yogurts and milk can — and will — come from dairy cows that have eaten pesticide laden feed such as corn and soy, antibiotics, pig and chicken byproducts, and sewage sludge. The only bad boy from the list of conventional animal feed that Dean has prohibited is hormones. So what's a little sewage sludge and pesticide residue going to do to your kid anyhow?
What about Local Food?
We are big fans of local food, a seasonal diet, looking your farmer in the eye knowing where your meal comes from. Some jurisdictions are beginning to certify and label it; in Ontario, Canada, Local Food Plus has created a standard for local food that aims to " Reduce or eliminate synthetic pesticides and fertilizers; and Avoid the use of hormones, antibiotics, and genetic engineering; and Conserve soil and water." But that isn't close to organic, and is just in one Canadian province.
In the end, if you want to know what is in your food, the only word that is controlled, regulated and enforced is "Organic".
More on Organic in Planet Green:
Spring for Organic Dairy, Save Money Elsewhere
Your Eggs Might Be Organic, But are They Eco-friendly?
Tour an Organic Farm
10 Foods You Should Buy Organic from How Stuff Works
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