| The word "organic" may appear on packages of | | | | are turning to organic foods. |
| meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese and | | | | |
| other single-ingredient foods. Certified | | | | Organically raised animals may not be given |
| organic requires the rejection of synthetic | | | | growth hormones to or antibiotics for any |
| agrochemicals, irradiation and genetically | | | | reason. Producers are required to feed |
| engineered foods or ingredients. Literally, | | | | livestock agricultural feed products that are |
| of course, the term is a redundancy: all food | | | | 100 percent organic, but farmers may also |
| is composed of organic chemicals (complex | | | | provide allowed vitamin and mineral |
| chemicals containing carbon). Any materials | | | | supplements. |
| used in the production or processing of | | | | |
| organic food must be proven safe. Awareness | | | | The US Department of Agriculture finally put |
| is growing about the value of organic foods. | | | | in place a national system for labeling |
| But, whether organic chicken or | | | | organic food. The new federal rule guarantees |
| pesticide-free lettuce represents "healthier" | | | | you, the consumer, organic products that are |
| alternatives has long been a subject for | | | | grown without toxic pesticides, herbicides, |
| debate. | | | | or fertilizers. Pesticides derived from |
| | | | natural sources (such as biological |
| Organic farming is one of the fastest growing | | | | pesticides) may be used in producing |
| segments of the U.S. Gardening organically is | | | | organically grown food. Limitations in |
| much more than what you don't do. In fact, | | | | relation to which pesticides may or may not |
| sales of organics have surged more than 20 | | | | be used, present the organic grower with some |
| percent each year in the past decade. In | | | | unique and very demanding challenges. Food |
| terms of number of farms, acreage and value | | | | that is at least 70 percent organic will list |
| of production, the organic food industry is | | | | the organic ingredients on the front of the |
| growing at a rate of 20-30% per year. As | | | | package. More than 40 private organizations |
| commodity programs are eliminated, more | | | | and state agencies (certifiers) currently |
| farmers have discovered that organic | | | | certify organic food, but their standards for |
| production is a legitimate and economically | | | | growing and labeling organic food may differ. |
| viable alternative enterprise. The growth in | | | | Even with these labeling rules in place, |
| the number of organic farmers has increased | | | | consumers should be prepared for some |
| steadily, similar to the growth of the U.S. | | | | confusion when shopping for organic foods. |
| | | | For one thing, organic products are not |
| In current organic production systems, | | | | uniformly labeled because many farmers using |
| growers are not permitted to use conventional | | | | organic methods do not pursue certification |
| synthetic organic fungicides in their disease | | | | at all. In addition, the language contained |
| management program. Non-organic milk comes | | | | in seals, labels, and logos approved by |
| from farms that are allowed to use | | | | organic certifiers may differ. |
| genetically modified cattle feed, along with | | | | |
| routine antibiotic treatments and synthetic | | | | While consumers struggle with the fact that |
| pesticides. Arguments have long raged as to | | | | often, the availability of organic materials |
| the effects these hormones and chemicals have | | | | is limited when large quantities are needed. |
| on the bioproducts. Growth hormones in cows, | | | | More and more people have come to appreciate |
| pesticides on produce and antibiotics in | | | | the added dimensions of value and quality |
| poultry are among the reasons many Americans | | | | available in the organic marketplace. |