"USDA Organic"- what you get when you buy Organic in the U.S.A.

In my recollection of when I first started to buy organic food (a little here and there, then built my way up), it was pretty expensive compared to it's conventional (meaning non-organic) counterparts. Supply and demand surely came into play and organic farmers were more small time, not backed by huge companies such as "Hain". Therefore, I paid, you paid, we all paid more for our organics a decade ago. Nothing pleases me more than when I find USDA organic foods as cheap, if not cheaper, than conventional foods.

What I have found over the years is that not all organic foods are created equal. Imagine that? I have talked to several who don't "believe" in organics (I always say it's my religion) and convincing them is like trying to convert a Catholic to a Mormon-or vice versa.

I grew up in the Mormon religion, I can poke fun at it.

When discussing organics with a non-organic consumer, it can get touchy, like religion or politics. Trying to sell my own children on why organic foods are better (when clearly McDonald's chicken nuggets are the best food on earth) was difficult. I had to figure out how to explain to them that organic is not a flavor.

Once, a dear friend of mine told me that she had "tried an organic apple once" and "didn't like it". Ok, well, I have had movie theater popcorn, at several different movie theaters, and many times I didn't like the popcorn because it was either stale tasting, too salty, or whatever. But, I almost always buy popcorn still when we go to see a movie and I do enjoy it more than not (if only it were organic!). I surely cannot be the only person who has ever had to return a food item for not being up to par, whether it be organic or not.  It is quite possible that organic apple either was not picked at its peak, had been sitting on the shelf too long, or just wasn't the type of apple that pleased the taste buds at that time. The same can  happen with a conventional apple.

One should not base their entire view about organics on one experience, with one "bad" apple.

Organic foods, simply put, means it contains no GMO's, pesticides, fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, antibiotics, injected hormones, or "bad" chemicals.


Here are the USDA guidelines for what makes an organic food item organic, and how it will appear on a label:

• 100% Organic – Foods that are completely organic or made with 100% organic ingredients. May display the USDA seal.
• Organic – Foods that contain at least 95% organic ingredients. May display the USDA seal.
• Made with organic ingredients – Foods that contain at least 70% organic ingredients. Will not display the USDA seal. May list specific organic ingredients on the front of the package.
• Contains organic ingredients – Foods that contain less than 70% organic ingredients. Will not display the USDA seal. May list specific organic ingredients on the information panel of the package.

 Some question, "How do you know if your food is truly organic, especially when it comes from another country?"

Well, how do I know that the cook who made my meal at the restaurant I ate at the other night didn't sweat in my food? I don't.

I am confident my food was handled properly before it arrived on my plate?

How do we know anything for sure, unless we do it ourselves?

Until I grow my own, all I can do is trust that the agencies put in place, to monitor, audit, and impose fines (if necessary) are enough to ensure that my food is truly organic. Just like in religion, I have to have faith. For the most part,  I know that most organic farmers do it because they truly believe in what it stands for. Not many who believe in organics will cut corners risking their own jobs, livelihood, and organic's values. I can almost guarantee that the conventional farming practices will always be wrought with more pesticides and garbage at any rate.


MAJOR benefits to supporting organic agriculture:

1. Saving our environment:

Recently, I was watching one of those "Hoarding" t.v. shows, where bazillions of roaches, trash, feces, and the like were overtaking this woman's home by fault of her own diseased mind. So, they clean up her home, take it all out, make it nice. But, no matter where that garbage went, it is still on this earth. It is not gone forever. No matter how one cleans up a space on this planet, whether it be cleaning of the beaches, a back yard, a junk yard, the "stuff" is still here. It's not truly cleaned up, it's just moved on to another place on this earth. What does conventional farming do with the run-off of chemicals, the residuals, the contaminated soil? Organic farming, ranching, and dairy, has an amazing positive affect on our environment by sustaining all that it encompasses. By using safe measures for pesticide control, alternating of the soil, no chemicals to linger for decades to come, its practices are helping to preserve our children's futures. The scary part to me is knowing that conventional farming is still allowed, knowing how harmful it is to the environment, and ultimately us.

2. Helping Antibiotics stay effective when sincerely needed medically for humans:

The overuse of antibiotics (because many doctors, and doctors' patients feel they are necessary when they are not helpful at all) is making us all immune to its affects. Antibiotics that are given to animals (who are not organically raised) are ingested into our bodies when we eat the meat and/or dairy of that animal. Antibiotics are becoming less effective for humans due to the over abundance of its use and infiltration of our food.

3. Live a longer, healthier life:

Pesticides can cause cancer and other diseases, plain and simple- not to mention all the other culprits that are put into most conventional food items. I am all for living as long as possible so why wouldn't I try to limit my intake of poisonous substances? Sure, Mr. Paul Newman, a huge advocate of organic, holistic foods, died of cancer (RIP blue eyes). But, other factors come into play besides food. Genetics, smoking, drinking, environment, medications, etc. Maybe things he had done earlier in life had finally caught up to him. Maybe, no matter what, he was genetically pre-disposed with an increased chance of disease. So, I would like to think that his organic lifestyle, whenever he began down that path, helped him live a longer life than he would have had, had he not eaten organically.



Conventional farmers are the lucky ones it would seem. They can apply several substances to kill the bugs on their crops and it works like a charm. They can even start out by planting a genetically modified seed, that already has pesticides "built" into it. They are backed by a lot more money than the "little organic guys" yet they do a lot of permanent harm to us and our environment.

When I envision my strawberries, apples, or a beautiful head of lettuce, I see it growing in healthy, deeply nutritious soils, with little lady bugs (to keep off the pests!) and honey bees (to pollinate!) buzzing around, with conscious farmers tending the crops.

I cringe to imagine soil with sewage, or a crop duster buzzing the fields. Not a pretty site.

So, as you can imagine, I am a die hard organic fan. You could not convert me to conventional. I dream of the day when most restaurants have organic choices on the menu......... and the day when my kids feed their children organic foods, because they realize how worthy it really is.