USDA Organic

Goods rated USDA Organic are backed by the United States Department of Agriculture's seal of approval and contain 95 percent organic ingredients.

The term "organic" can be misleading when applied to advertising and other marketing strategies employed by retailers to attract consumers. To create a reliable, basic standard for organic farm products, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established a set of qualifying guidelines and monitoring strategies that help protect the consumer interested in wholesome farm grown products. Among other things, farmers who want to be accredited by the USDA must submit to monitoring by an independent panel of certifiers who are themselves periodically re-evaluated by the Department of Agriculture. When you see the USDA Organic seal on products, the organic constituents of those products carry these important assurances:

• Farm soil has been free of banned substance use for at least three years.
• Soil treatment supports earth-friendly practices for recycling, minimizing soil erosion and reducing soil depletion through crop rotation and other replenishment methods.
• Farms use strategies to co-exist in harmony with surrounding ecosystems and incorporate measures to reduce pollution from water runoff and other production practices.
• No synthetic fertilizers or pesticides were used to create the product.
• No substances on the USDA's list of banned substances were used to create the product.
• Livestock was raised humanely.
• No genetically altered seeds or animals were used to create the product.
• Only 100 percent organic feed was used.
• Detailed records regarding soil treatment practice, water management and pest control, among other things, were created by organic farmer for use by the USDA in determining compliance with approved practices.

This is good news for consumers. With these guidelines in place, you have an assurance that the organically produced products you buy are wholesome for your family to eat, wear or use. Just look for the USDA organic seal on or near products.

By reducing your exposure to inorganic and potentially hazardous compounds in food and clothing, you are creating a safe zone in your home and reducing the list of suspects related to adverse reactions your family may experience in food, clothing and related products. This is particularly important for households that include children, the elderly, or anyone who suffers from allergies or an undiagnosed condition. When you pay a little extra for USDA certified products, you are buying a known quantity that is consistently produced in a reliable way.

At one time or another, a number of chemical agents used in conventional farming have been linked to cancer in humans, like dicofol, cyanide and propargite. By using organic products, you help create a buffer between your family and dangerous chemicals that might later be banned, but only after they've been marketed, used and made people sick.

When you buy USDA certified organically produced cotton, wool, silk or bamboo, or purchase cheese, milk, meat or produce from organic farmers, you support an industry that is working to co-exist in harmony with nature while creating a product that is safe for the consumer now and in the future.

The organic certification carries different levels of purity. Products will either be designated "100% Organic"; "USDA Organic", if they contain 95 percent organic ingredients; or "Made with Organic Ingredients", for products that are at least 70% organic. This allows some latitude for producers who provide quality organic products that meet some, but not all of the requirements for 100 percent organic certification.

By understanding organic labeling, you can choose goods that are produced using Department of Agriculture guidelines in a number of purity categories and at a variety of price points. This will make it easier to know exactly what you're buying when you buy organic.

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