Defining "Organic"
To ensure uniform quality across the nation, the government requires specific record keeping. Soil and field conditions must be recorded, including how the product is stored, where it is sent, etc. Some growers find the piles of paperwork and/or the cost of the certification fee to be a hindrance. As farms must be re-certified each year, this can be more of a hassle than an asset.
With this in mind, there are plenty of farms that adhere to the same tenets and employ similar growing methods that support healthy soil, crop rotation, cover cropping, no use of synthetic chemicals, and ecological sustainability. These farming techniques are usually referred to as organically grown, organic farming methods, or naturally grown. Additionally, there is a non-profit organization that certifies growers as Naturally Grown (note the difference between certified naturally grown and naturally grown). Their regulations are based on the certified organic criteria with some modifications. All the above terms also apply to raising livestock with a few additional principles regarding livestock living conditions, pasture standards, and feed.
Hopefully this information will help to shed some light on some of the rather confusing terminology associated with this topic. Whether shopping at a store, a farmers market or a CSA, a firm grasp of these definitions will make you a better consumer.
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coolrobc
The certification is a pain. My aunt owns a small farm near Syracuse, even though she uses no synthetics, etc. she felt getting the organic certification was too much of a hassle for it to be worth it. Considering they occasionally have a waiting list for her eggs at the food co-op she sells to, I'd have to agree.
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sbrof
True but with any standardization process if you didn't have these sorts of processes then you would have companies lying to us. The same complaints happen with the LEAD certification for buildings. Nothing is to stop the informal advertisement that they are as organic as anything else but at least as a consumer you know you are taking a risk in believing them.
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viking
There are reasons organic costs more, labor being the biggest. Requires more refrigeration, also less shelf life. can't use city water for irrigation. We have number of years experience and still can not guarantee cost effective results but keep at it. Our land is alive again, more wild life and natural diversity. For us the investment is worth the return but we don't make our living from doing it. There aren't enough inspectors and the regulators don't really help. You actually get penalized for the effort and practice, with reduced farm bill payments. Look for pictures next spring, with a growing season's look a what takes place and why, posted maybe here or another web site.
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RisingDamp666
OCIA and CCOF were the best and strictest certifiers. The above logo was brought to you by Wal Mart which lobbied hard to get the "allowable non-organic content" set at 5%. Recently, they pushed Congress to ammend that standard to allow 30% crap in your "certified organic" food. Their crap lost out and now Lee Scott is a certified convert to Organic ( oh it helps when organic food sales rise by double digits yearly compared to the conventional industry average of about 2% ) Will Wally World rule the Organic roost? Their sales in that category have been slipping....
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