What is Organic Food?

There is a lot of talk lately about organic versus inorganic food. But what exactly is organic food, and what are the rules that farmers must follow in order for their crops to be certified organic? This article define organic foods and explain what farmers need to do in order for their crops to be certified organic.

Organic foods are foods that are produced without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents or chemical additives. Most of the food grown during human history was considered organic; synthetic chemicals were not introduced into the food supply until the 20th century. In the United States, there are three levels of certification for organic foods. Foods can either be certified 100% organic, organic, or that they contain organic ingredients.

100% Organic - In order for a product to be considered 100% organic, it must be grown with only organic ingredients.

Organic - In order for a product to be labeled organic, it must be made with at least 95% organic ingredients. Any other ingredients used must consist of approved non-agricultural substances that appear on the National List, including non-organically produced agricultural agents that are not available in organic form.

Contains Organic Ingredients - In order for a processed product to be labeled "contains organic ingredients," it must be made with at least 70% organic ingredients. Up to three of the organic ingredients used can be listed on the display panel. For example, a soup that uses organic vegetables can use the term "made with organic vegetables," or it can list up to three of the vegetables separately, such as "made with organic peas, potatoes and carrots." In addition, any product that carries one of these labels must identify each organic ingredient on their information panel, and the name and address of the certifying agent must be identified on the information panel. Processed products made with less than 70% organic materials cannot use the term organic anywhere in their labeling, though they can use other claims, such as "free range," "no drugs or hormones used" or "sustainably harvested."