Produce Organic
Substances that are synthetic, or not widely available using organic production methods, can be used in organic processed foods as long as they are first approved by the usda. But the agency’s list of these allowable non-organic ingredients keeps growing and there are worries that continual additions to the list will weaken the meaning of organic certification and not live up to what consumers expect. A 2005 court decision forced usda to revise its procedures for allowing ingredients onto the list of acceptable substances, but unfortunately the agency’s response was a proposal to allow 38 more synthetics onto the list, sparking a wave of controversy and public outcry. By summer of 2008, the issue still wasn’t settled. This is a good example of how important it is that consumers keep an eye on the integrity of the standards behind the labels they rely on. However, the fact that corporations have involved themselves in organic food production is not all bad. As large corporations sell more organic food, more acres of land are being protected from chemical pesticides and fertilizers, thus helping the environment and the soil in which our food is grown. Additionally, corporate organic products have significantly raised awareness of organics among consumers. Buying organic products is the first step in the learning processes necessary to create a more sustainable food system.
Organic are seeking assurance that food production is gentle to the earth, and/or looking for safer, purer, more natural foods. But are organic foods really worth the added expense?. “if you can afford them, buy them,” recommends new york university professor marion nestle, phd, mph. “it really is a personal choice but how can anyone think substances, such as pesticides, capable of killing insects, can be good for you?”. But american dietetic association spokeswoman keecha harris, drph, says, “there is no evidence that organic foods are superior over traditional foods. Food does not have to be organic to be safe and environmentally friendly, she says. She recommends focusing on eating food grown close to where you live. She notes that some organic foods come from multinational companies and have been trucked across the country. “they may be organic, but the. Environmental footprint includes lots of petrochemicals used in transportation, whereas if you buy produce from your local farmers market, it may not be organic but it is farm-fresh and less impactful on the environment,” says harris.
Organic are cheating not only organic consumers but also small certified companies like ourselves. On november 5, 2009, the usda national organic standards board (nosb) formally recommended that the national organic program regulate personal care to ensure that any use of the word “organic” on a personal care product is backed up by third-party certification to usda organic standards. Immediately following the recommendation, the oca launched a consumer boycott of the major “organic” cheater brands, and has produced a list of usda certified organic brands that are true to their claims and are safe for organic consumers. National organic standards board tells usda: “stop organic body care fraud. On november 5, 2009, the usda national organic standards board (nosb) passed a recommendation for “. Solving the problem of mislabeled organic personal care products. ” the recommendation urges the usda national organic program (nop) to make sure that any use of the word “organic” on a personal care product is backed up by third-party certification to usda organic standards. Currently, as the recommendation describes, “at a given retailer, one may find personal care products such as shampoos and lotions labeled as ‘organic’ with no clear standards or regulatory underpinning for the organic claim – and unless the product is specifically labeled as ‘usda organic,’ the word ‘organic’ may be used with impunity. Manufacturers of personal care products that contain organic ingredients are hindered by a thicket of competing private standards and confusion regarding the applicability of the nop to their products. Transactions lack the regulatory clarity that applies under the nop to food products that contain organic ingredients.