USDA Organic: What does it mean?

You may see this green label on certain food items:

But you may wonder, what exactly does it imply? And why should I care?

This little label tells you quite a lot about the food you are about to buy. When you see the USDA organic seal, it's assuring you that it has been grown or produced with organic-certified methods with records to verify compliance. Farms are inspected annually, as well as random checks to ensure standards are being upheld.

And why is this all important? Organic food is grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic (man-made) fertilizers, sewage sludge, GMOs, or ionizing radiation. Yes, RADIATION. Any animal products that are organic are not given antibiotics or growth hormones.

The farmers make great efforts to use renewable resources and to conserve soil and water. A farm only reaches organic status after a 3 year process, in which 2 years are spent increasing the fertility of the land and any produce grown the first year will not be certified.

You may have also noticed that some of these food items cost more than traditional brands. It makes you think twice about spending your hard earned dollars, doesn't it? So here's why you should fork over your cash:

*Organic farmers don't receive government money like conventional farmers do. So their prices reflect the cost of true, natural farming.

*Conventional farms receive money for environmental cleanups via our tax dollars. Organic farms do not.

*Organic farming requires more individuals and is much more plan intensive as they must follow very specific guidelines to remain certified.

*These organic farms are usually smaller than their conventional counterparts, so they are unable to make the enormous profits of a large-scale farm.

So the next time you are agonizing over whether or not to pick up that food item with the USDA organic seal, remember this list and choose the cleaner, healthier option while also supporting these farmers at the same time! ~Briana

Source:

www.organic.org