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