WHAT IS ORGANIC? back <

In December 2000, the National Organic Standards Board of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established a national standard for the term “organic”. Organic food must be produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, genetic engineering (biotechnology), growth hormones or irradiation. “Organic” does not mean “natural.” There is no legal definition as to what constitutes a “natural” food. However, the food industry uses the term “natural” to indicate that a food has been minimally processed and is preservative-free. Natural foods can include organic foods, but not all natural are organic. Only foods labeled “organic” have been certified as meeting USDA organic standards.

Organic farming is the oldest form of agriculture. Before the end of World War II, farming without the use of petroleum-based chemicals (synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) was the only option for farmers. Technologies developed during the war were found to be useful for agricultural production and gradually became the industry standard. These days, farmers are switching to organic agriculture once again, but now with an ecologically based, systematic approach that includes long-term planning, detailed record keeping and major investment in equipment and supplies. Although it is still only a small industry, the number of organic farmers is growing by about 12 percent per year and now stands at more than 12,000 nationwide according to USDA estimates.

Since October 21, 2002 (when the National Organic Standards became law), all farms and handling operations selling organic agricultural products worth more then $5,000 a year must be certified by a state or private agency accredited by the USDA. Organic farmers are, among other things, also required to:

-Have an Organic System Plan (OSP) describing how their operation will achieve, document and sustain compliance with applicable regulations.

-Maintain records concerning the production and handling of agricultural products that are sold, labeled or represented as organic.

-Submit to adults and evaluations conducted by accredited certifying agents.

-Have distinct, defined boundaries and buffer zones to prevent the unintended application of prohibited substance to land under organic management (The national standards do not specify specific dimensions for buffer zones, but leaves the determination of their size to the organic producer and the certifying agent on a case-by-case basis).

-Use organic seeds when commercially available.

-Minimize soil erosion; implement crop rotations; and prevent contamination of crops, soil and water by plant and animal nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals or residues of prohibited substances.

-Have had no prohibited substances applied to their land for at least three years prior to harvest. This includes land that has never been farmed conventionally and passes residue tests.

Organic agricultural practices are quite distinct from those of “conventional” farming. Conventional farmers apply chemical fertilizers to the soil to grow their crops; spray with insecticides to protect crops from pests and disease; and use synthetic herbicides to control weed growth. On the other hand, Organic farmers feed soil and build soil matter with natural fertilizer to grow their crops; use insect predators, mating disruption, traps and barriers to protect crops from pests and disease; and make use of crop rotation, mechanical tillage and hand weeding, as well as cover crops, mulches, flame weeding and other management methods to control weed growth.

Obviously, organic farming is more involving and labor intensive than conventional farming, but as the old saying goes, “the crop grows best in the shadow of the farmers.” Maybe that’s why many people assert that organic produce tastes better.