Many people believe that organic and spray-free produce are one in the same, that simply is not true, but both can be great alternatives to conventional produce. What is the difference? ORGANIC: The term ‘organic’ is not just a food item that has been created naturally without the use of artificial chemicals. With that said, not all organics are created equal. The first step as a consumer, is to check the origin of the organic status when purchasing organic food. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines organic as follows: “Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods. These methods 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. If you see the USDA organic seal, the product is certified organic and has 95% or more organic content.” The USDA sets rigid criteria for farms to meet in order to be certified organic, and in terms of labeling, it is this seal which holds the greatest weight. Other organic labels in Australia, the United Kingdom or other countries can have similar regulations but all differ slightly in their interpretation of the label. Amongst a host of requirements, farmers have to keep detailed records, have an on-site inspection by an official certifying agent, and pay all the fees associated with the certification. It is a full-on process and one that is very costly. Unfortunately, as a result, it does often ostracize the small local farmer who cannot afford the accreditation or perhaps meet the requirements. This does however support the corporate, factory-style organic farm system. SPRAY / PESTICIDE-FREE PRODUCE: Certified organic is the most reliable label in terms of buying organic, but what are the spray / pesticide-free labels about? Many people think that if a foodstuff is itemized as being spray/pesticide-free, the produce must have been created without the use of synthetic additives/pesticides. That is simply not true. The terms ‘pesticide-free’ and ‘spray-free’ are used very loosely in agriculture and not regulated, but organic is regulated. There is no legally recognized definition. Those labels can therefore be used in a misleading way. If something is labeled ‘spray-free’, the crop may have been spared from being sprayed, but the soil could have been primed with artificial fertilizer or the seeds might have been dipped in fungicide. Likewise, if something is labeled ‘pesticide-free’, a farmer may not have used synthetic herbicides or insecticides, but may have used genetically modified plants or seeds. The term can be very handy for those farmers wishing to produce ‘clean’ food, but who cannot afford the costly time or expense of gaining the USDA accreditation. Those farmers may very well be growing produce that could be labeled as USDA Certified Organic, if they could afford the fees. WHAT DO YOU DO? KNOW YOUR FARMER! This all goes back to knowing more about where your food comes from. Get to know your local farmer at farmers markets and how their fruit and vegetables are produced. Also, ask people working at your local grocery store. Make your own informed decision based on whether you agree with the way they farm or not. QUESTIONS TO ASK: 1. If it is not certified organic, how specifically is it grown? 2. What do you mean by spray-free/pesticide-free? 3. How do you protect your crops? 4. Do you use GMO seeds? 5. What do you feed your livestock, do they eat any GMOs? 6. Do you rear your livestock hormone/chemical/antibiotic-free? 7. Are your livestock free range/caged/pasture-based?
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 10:51:26 +0000
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