The USDA's Organic Seal

Wedge Co-op "Certified Organic" sticker

Organics FAQ

What is organic?

Organic refers to the way agricultural products - food and fiber - are grown and processed. Organic food production is based on a system of farming that regenerates soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Organic foods are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food.

Is there an official definition of "organic"?

The following excerpt is from the definition of "organic" that the National Organic Standards Board adopted in April 1995: "Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony."

What does "Certified Organic" mean?

"Certified Organic" means the item has been grown according to strict uniform standards that are verified by independent state or private organizations. Certification includes inspections of farm fields and processing facilities, detailed record keeping, and periodic testing of soil and water to ensure that growers and handlers are meeting the standards which have been set.

Can any type of agricultural product become certified organic?

Yes, any agricultural product that meets third-party or state certification requirements may be considered organic. Organic foods are becoming available in an impressive variety, including pasta, prepared sauces, frozen juices, frozen meals, milk, ice cream and frozen novelties, cereals, meat, poultry, breads, soups, chocolate, cookies, beer, wine, vodka and more. These foods, in order to be certified organic, have all been grown and processed according to organic standards and must maintain a high level of quality. Organic fiber products, too, have moved beyond T-shirts, and include bed and bath linens, tablecloths, napkins, cosmetic puffs, feminine hygiene products, and men's, women's and children's clothing in a wide variety of styles.

Who regulates the certified organic claims?

The federal government set standards for the production, processing and certification of organic food in the Organic Food Production Act of 1990 (OFPA). The National Organic Standards Board was then established to develop guidelines and procedures to regulate all organic crops. The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during December 2000 unveiled detailed regulations to implement OFPA. These took effect on April 21, 2001, with an 18-month implementation period ending October 2002. At that time, any food labeled organic must meet these national organic standards. USDA's National Organic Program oversees the program.

Are all organic products completely free of pesticide residues?

Certified organic products have been grown and handled according to strict standards without toxic and persistent chemical inputs. However, due to the persistence of agricultural chemicals in the environment, organic crops can be inadvertently exposed via rain, ground water, and wind. And occasionally, organic crops are tested for exposure when inspections determine a farm is at risk of exposure.

Do organic farmers ever use pesticides?

Prevention is the organic farmer's primary strategy for disease, weed, and insect control. By building healthy soils, organic farmers find that healthy plants are better able to resist disease and insects. Organic producers often select species that are well adapted for the climate and therefore resist disease and pests. When pest populations get out of balance, growers will try various options like insect predators, mating disruption, traps, and barriers. If these fail, permission may be granted by the certifier to apply botanical or other non-persistent pest controls under restricted conditions. Botanicals are derived from plants and are broken down quickly by oxygen and sunlight.

How will purchasing organic products help keep our water clean?

Conventional agricultural methods can cause water contamination. Beginning in May 1995, a network of environmental organizations, including the Environmental Working Group, began testing tap water for herbicides in cities across the United States' Corn Belt, and in Louisiana and Maryland. The results revealed widespread contamination of tap water with many different pesticides at levels that present serious health risks. In some cities, herbicides in tap water exceed federal lifetime health standards for weeks or months at a time. The organic farmer's elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, in combination with soil building, works to prevent contamination, and protects and conserves water resources.

Is organic food better for you?

We could fill this page citing studies that conclude that organic foods are nutritious than conventional foods. Don't be fooled by the denials from the conventional agribusiness industry. The research is exhaustive and the message is consistent: the benefits to organic production include more nutrition, and often better taste, than conventional foods.

Studies done by universities, research institutes, dietitians, nutritional scientists—even the US government - provide repeated evidence that organically produced foods contain more nutrients. One major report provides evidence that organic foods contain, on average, 25 percent higher concentrations of 11 nutrients than their conventional counterparts, across 236 comparisons of organically and conventionally grown foods.

Another study found that organically-grown oranges contained up to 30 percent more vitamin C than those grown conventionally. A review of 41 published studies comparing the nutritional value of organically grown and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, and grains concluded there were significantly more of several nutrients in organic crops. These included: 27% more vitamin C, 21.1% more iron, 29.3% more magnesium, and 13.6% more phosphorus.

And that research does not even discuss the risks of pesticide exposure. Remember, organic foods and fiber are spared the application of toxic and persistent insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers. Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. For children especially, consuming organic products may lower their exposure to potentially damaging organophosphorus (OP) pesticides. In one study, concentrations of dimethyl metabolites, a metabolite of organophosphorus, were approximately six times higher in the children who ate conventional diets.

In the long run, organic farming techniques provide a safer, more sustainable environment for everyone.

Why does organic food sometimes cost more?

Prices for organic foods reflect many of the same costs as conventional items in terms of growing, harvesting, transportation and storage. Organically produced foods must meet stricter regulations governing all of these steps, so the process is often more labor- and management-intensive, and farming tends to be on a smaller scale. There is also mounting evidence that if all the indirect costs of conventional food production-cleanup of polluted water, replacement of eroded soils, costs of health care for farmers and their workers-were factored into the price of food, organic foods would cost the same or, more likely, be cheaper.

Isn't organic food just a fad?

No. U. S. sales of organic food totaled $5.4 billion in 1998, about $6.5 billion in 1999, and reached nearly $7.8 billion in 2000. The market has grown 20%-24% annually during the 1990s. The adoption of national standards for certification is expected to open up new markets for U. S. organic producers. Internationally, organic sales continue to grow as well.

© 2001, Organic Trade Association, except "Is Organic Food Better for You?" which contains some OTA information and more recent updates.

Recent studies of organic food and nutrition

A response to a negative study released in 2009