The organic food movement has recently been growing very rapidly. The Washington Post states that “relaxation of the federal standards, and an explosion of consumer demand, have helped push the organics market into a $23 billion-a-year business, the fastest growing segment of the food industry.” Now there is some question as to whether growth has come at the expense of authenticity. There are loose standards and numerous grades of “organic,” with food made from only 70% organic ingredients still receiving the “Made With Organic” label under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classification scheme. The Post article contains a break down of what actually constitutes being labeled organic:  

“100 Percent Organic” products must show an ingredient list, the name, and address of the handler (bottler, distributor, importer, manufacturer, packer, processor) of the finished product, and the name and seal of the organic certifier. These products should contain no chemicals, additives, synthetics, pesticides or genetically engineered substances.

“USDA Organic” products must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. The five percent non-organic ingredients could include additives or synthetics if they are on an approved list. The label must contain a list that identifies the organic, as well as the non-organic, ingredients in the product, and the name of the organic certifier.

“Made With Organic” products must contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The label must contain a list that identifies the organic, as well as the non-organic, ingredients in the product, along with the name of the organic certifier.

If a product contains less than 70 percent organic ingredients, it cannot use the word “organic” on the packaging or display panel, and the only place an organic claim can be made is on the ingredient label.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan, touches on the beginnings of the organic industry, conceived of largely in the late 1960s as “an alternative mode of production (the chemical-free farms) . . . [and] an alternative system of distribution (. . . food co-ops).” Mr. Pollan goes on to intimate that the notion of large scale organic farming runs counter to the first organic farmers’ notion of local, small scale production. “In fact, the USDA was actively hostile to organic agriculture until recently, viewing it – quite rightly – as a critique of the industrialized agriculture the USDA was promoting.”

The organic movement has come a long way since it’s early days. Now, however, the industry has become big, complicated, and as Pollan points out, corporate and it’s done it at a rapid pace.  If you are a fan of organics and/or a consumer of the products, it’s worth digging a little to make sure you get what you paid for.

- Justin Manger