July 10, 2009

Some large producers are quietly exiting the organic certification program and going "natural".   Problem is that there are no standards for what natural means in regard to most foodstuffs.  Labeling a product "natural" tells you nothing about how the ingredients in the product were grown.  They may be minimally processed but that doesn't mean they were grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.

USDA certified organic products have been grown to standards and the producers are inspected annually for adherence to those standards.

To protect yourself, your family, the environment, and the organic farming community you can do several things -

Join the Organic Consumers Association and respond to their action alerts.

When buying from grocery chains, tell them you want to have an organic choice

Buy from your local grower and ask how your produce is grown  - what materials are used for fertility, how are weeds and competitor species kept in check?  Go with the grower who stays closest to nature - even if they are not certified.  Many small growers find the paperwork and cost of USDA organic certification to be unsustainable but still grow in an environmentally responsible manner.

Finally - consider the vegan way - vegan farms are committed to respecting all life - they do not use slaughterhouse products such as bone or blood meal for fertilization and they do not use any pesticides out of respect for life and in an effort to maintain natural checks and balances.  My personal experience with vegan organic (veganic) growing is that abundant quantities of beautiful, tasty, and nutritious produce can be grown without the use of products made from animals.  If you can't find a vegan farmer near you ask your local farmers to consider growing the vegan way - or grow your own!