What the Heck is All This Organic Stuff About?

Food Labels

The Food Safety and Inspection Service defines the following label terms:

• Certified: Meat that has been stamped with this label has been "evaluated" by the USDA "for class, grade, or other quality characteristics."
• Natural: Use of this label is permitted if the product contains "no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed."
• No Hormones: This label applies only to beef. Since hormones are not supposed to be given to pigs or chickens, pork and poultry products cannot legally be tagged with this label without the disclaimer "Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones."
• No Antibiotics: This label can be used on beef and poultry products, provided that the producer supplies "sufficient documentation … that the animals were raised without antibiotics."

What Is "Organic"?

Organic food differs from conventional food in the way it is grown, handled, and processed. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.
A company cannot label a food to be "organic" if it does not meet the USDA standards. Additionally, the USDA has a voluntary labeling process. If you see the use of the USDA organic seal, that means the food is "95% organic".

Don’t confuse the terms "organic" and "natural" – they are not interchangeable. "Natural" meat is defined by the USDA as "meat that contains no artificial ingredients, and that is minimally processed." This definition does NOT refer to the way the animals were raised, only to how the meat is processed. Meat labeled as "Natural" may or may not have additional claims on the label.