Example of Organic Food

From LoveToKnow Organic

You can find examples of organic food in almost any food category. According to the Organic Consumers Association, sales of organic items have had a steady increase of 20 percent per year over the past 10 years.

History of USDA Organic Certification

It wasn’t until 2002 that the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) saw the need to create the National Organic Program Division of the US Agriculture Marketing Service. Its functions are:

Accreditation of farmers
Accreditation of processors
Accreditation of packing companies
Conducting annual audits with a total of 55 US Certification Agents and over 40 foreign certifiers.

Organic farmers must keep detailed records and consistently document everything. Even the smallest item like seeds must be listed. Certifiers can assist farmers in setting up a monitoring and record-keeping system.

Not All Organic Foods Are Certified

Only organically certified foods can bear the USDA organic label. This is designed to protect the consumer and assure consistent quality within the industry. When you buy an organic food with the Certified Organic label, you can be assured of purchasing an authentic organic product. There are millions of organic gardeners who have no reason to seek certification because their crops are for their family’s consumption. Small farmers may use organic methods but be unable to fulfill the requirements to be certified.

Four Degrees of Organic

Organic labeling comes in four categories.

100% Organic(USDA Seal)
- All ingredients except water and salt must be organically grown

Organic (USDA Seal)
- At least 95% of the ingredients must be organic, (water and salt excluded)
- Cannot contain sulfites
- No more than 5% ingredients can be non-organic

Made With Organic Ingredients (Can’t Use USDA Seal)
- 70% ingredients must be organic (water and salt excluded)
- No sulfites
- No more than 30% ingredients non-organic

No Claim (Can’t use USDA Seal)
- Products contain less than 70% organic content.
- Cannot list organic on front packaging
- Can list organic ingredients in product labeling

Requirements: Certified Organic Food

Before you can qualify as an official certified organic food grower, processor, packer, or other, you must create a plan for change. The first thing you will be required to do is stop using conventional farming practices. No more fertilizers and pesticides. A government certifier can assist you with the necessary steps and procedures and assure you are following the restrictions and guidelines properly. The certification process is lengthy and tedious.

To be certified organic:

Must be produced on land that’s free of chemical pesticide and fertilizer use for a minimum of 3 years
No irradiation, sewage sludge or genetically modified organisms found
All stages of production, field to shelf, must be documented
All exposure to non-approved substances eliminated
3rd party independent agency certification

Once Certified

After your farm is certified, you’ll undergo an annual inspection. Every certified organic grower in the United States is required to submit to this inspection by the certifier.

There are specific things the inspector will examine:

All farm records are audited
The fields are examined, tested for chemical and pesticides
All paperwork is reviewed

Farms are living changing environments. An astute farmer knows how to change growing tactics in order to maintain crop control. An organic farmer is required to file any changes to her/his organic plan with the certifier.

Examples of Organic Food: Different Food Categories

The following foods are eligible for organic certification:

Poultry
Beef
Fish (2008 USDA guidelines allow industrial aquaculture not 100% organic feed)
Vegetables
Fruits
Grains
Nuts
Dairy products
Sugars, honey, syrups

Difference between Free-Range and Organic

Many people mistakenly believe if they purchase a free-range chicken they are eating organic poultry. While this can be true, it’s not always the case. A free-range chicken has been allowed to roam free instead of being compartmentalized in a cage its entire life as most poultry is commercially bred. However the term “free-range” has many definitions and there are questionable practices involved.

An organic free-range chicken will have been raised without hormones or antibiotics on a certified organic farm. The pasture will have no pesticide or chemical fertilizer residues and the feed will be organic and untreated as well.

Organic Food: A Growing Business

More and more people are discovering organic food, especially as the concerns over food safety rise. Big corporations have some of the largest organic farms in the U.S. and fall under the same stringent guidelines as the individual farmer.

Kraft
Heinz (Arrowhead Mills)
Kellogg
General Mills
Coca Cola

Finding and Buying Organic Foods

Most large chain grocery stores now carry a section of organic foods. Many towns have a local organic co-op you can join for a nominal annual fee that gives you a discount on purchases. Co-ops typically offer various classes on organic farming and other related topics. There are some grocery stores, independent and chain, that specialize in organics and other health conscious related produce and groceries.