Organic Food Labeling - what it means

2. $24 Billion in Organic
Products sold in 2008

3. Big Business is Involved
in Organics Not only Small
Growers
• Kraft Foods owns Boca Foods
• Kellogg owns Morningstar Farms
• Coca Cola owns Honest Tea
(Obama’s Organic Beverage of
Choice)
Washington Post 2009

4. The USDA Organic Label
USDA Organic certification is
primarily a MARKETING
program to let consumers know
that the food product has been
-Grown or raised without
chemical fertilizers, pest killers
(pesticides), weed killers, or
drugs

5. The USDA Organic Label
- Free from irradiation and genetically modified
organisms
- Agricultural products grown on land that has
been free of prohibited substances for a period
of 3 years
- Animals used for meat, eggs, milk or other
animal products must be fed foods that are
organically grown, may not be given
antibiotics or hormones, and must
have access to the outdoors

7. National Organic Program
began in 2002
• www.ams.usda.gov/NOP

9. USDA Labeling Tiers
• 100% Organic
• Organic
• Made with Organic Ingredients

10. 100% Organic
This means the food has no synthetic
ingredients and can use the organic seal.
Ingredients: 100% Certified Organic Dried Cherries

11. "Organic"
This means the food has a minimum of 95%
organic ingredients. It can also use the organic
seal.
Ingredients: Organic Soup Mix (Organic Great
Northern Beans, Organic Dehydrated Carrots,
Organic Thyme, Organic Rosemary, Turkish Bay
Leaves

12. National Organic
Standards Board
• Approves the non-organic
substances that can be used in
USDA Organic products
• Over 200 substances are on the
list

13. “Made with organic
ingredients"
This means the food must contain at
least 70% organic ingredients. These
foods cannot use the seal.
Ingredients: Tortilla Chips Made with Organic Corn
(Certified Organic Corn, Safflower Oil, Lime, and
Salt

14. Less than 70% organic
ingredients
• Product has less than 70% organic
material and cannot use the
seal, or state made with organic
ingredients. Only list the items
Ingredients: Tortilla Chips Made with Organic Corn
(Certified Organic Corn, Safflower Oil, Lime, and
Salt

15. USDA Organic Farmers
and Ranchers
• Use only natural pesticides
• Use only natural fertilizers
• Feed animals only organic food
• Don’t give animals antibiotics or growth
hormones
• Don’t use irradiation of produce
IN THE USA – Laws govern a
farmer or ranchers ability to
use the organic label.

16. Organic Costs More –
Why?
• Organic farms generally smaller
than nonorganic farms
• It takes more labor to grow plants
and animals without the help of
chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and
drugs

17. Organic Costs More –
Why?
• Organic food costs more to feed to
animals
• Few federal subsidies for organic
farmers

18. Is Organic Safer?
• Less pesticides?
– Non-organic food items can have
pesticide residues on them but
studies have shown that are not at
levels to cause harm – especially if
you wash them!

19. Is Organic more
Nutritious?
• Not enough evidence to say that
organic food is more nutritious
than regular food

20. Does Organic taste
better?
• No evidence that organic food
tastes better
• However – organic is often grown
LOCALLY and is FRESHER

21. Is Organic better for
children?
• Children more sensitive to
pesticides because they are still
growing
– Products such as organic milk and
organic baby food may be
good choice for peace
of mind

22. Which Organic Food?
• Organic can cost 50%-100%
more -- experts recommend
spending most of your organic
food dollars on produce and the
foods you eat most often.

23. Government limits set levels of
pesticide use in growing and
processing foods, and residue
allowed on foods.

24. Locally grown foods are usually
fresher -- and kinder to the
environment -- than produce that’s
been trucked across the country in
energy-consuming vehicles.

25. An Organic Product can be distinctly
different – peanut butter an example
• The natural oils in organic peanut butter may
separate and form a layer on top of the jar

26. Animals Products and
Organic Labeling
Meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy labeled
"organic" must come from animals that,
among other things, have never received
antibiotics or growth hormones.
Effective Feb 2010 livestock have to grazed on
pasture for a minimum of 4 months a year to
qualify for the organic meat or milk label, and
must get at least 30% of food from
grazing.

27. Organic Beef

28. Organic Milk
• Cows raised on conventional farms are often
given recombinant bovine growth hormone
(rBGH) to increase the amount of milk they
produce.
• Organic milk comes from cows that have not
been given antibiotics or hormones.
• Many conventional brands are rBGH-free but
aren’t labeled as such. Look it up online or call
the manufacturer.

29. Wheresmymilkfrom.com

30. Standards for organic
seafood have not been
set.

32. Test Your Knowledge
Quiz

33. Quiz
What is the best way to tell the
difference between organic and
non-organic products?
a)Give them the squeeze test?
b)Organic products cost more
c)Look for the organic label
d)There is no difference?

34. What is the best way to tell the
difference between organic and
non-organic products?
c)Look for the USDA organic label

35. What percentage of organic
content lets firms label the
product “made with organic
ingredients”?
a) 0 to 10%
b) 10 to 25%
c) 25 to 70%
d) 70 to 95%

36. What percentage of organic
content lets firms label the
product “made with organic
ingredients”?
d) 70 to 95%
Products like soup or snack foods
>95% can be called organic on label
<70% organic only on ingredient
list

37. To carry the USDA Organic
Label product cannot be
subject to:
a) Synthetic pesticides
b) Genetic Engineering
c) Irradiation
d) All of the above

38. To carry the USDA Organic Label
product cannot be subject to:
d) All of the above
In addition farmers can’t use
sewer sludge for fertilizer

39. The Organic Label guarantees
that foods are:
c)Healthier
d)Better tasting
e)Both A or B
f)Neither A or B

40. The Organic Label guarantees
that foods are:
d)Neither A or B
The USDA says the organic label
doesn’t guarantee greater safety,
health, quality or nutritional value.
Label assures consumers that
organic products are grown and
processing using USDA standards

41. Why do organic foods often
cost more than the non-organic
products?
c)Higher taxes
d)Production costs
e)A vast left-wing conspiracy
f)None of the above

42. Why do organic foods often cost
more than the non-organic
products?
b)Production costs
The limited supply of organic
ingredients means that firms that
have to buy them have to pay
more because of smaller crop or
long distance shipping

43. Non-organic products can lead
to exposure to:
a)Potentially harmful pesticide levels
b)Safe levels of pesticide residue
c)The chilly refrigerated produce
section
d)No proven ill-effects on your
health

44. Non-organic products can lead
to exposure to:
d)No proven ill effects on your
health
The EPA says most food contains
pesticide residues at levels low
enough to be considered safe.

45. Besides buying organic you can
limit exposure to pesticides by:
a) Washing all uncooked fruits and
vegetables
b) Peeling and trimming fruits and
vegetables
c) Eating a variety of foods
d) All of the above

46. Besides buying organic you can
limit exposure to pesticides by:
d) All of the above
-Scrub produce under running water
-Peeling and trimming reduces nutrient
value but for peace of mind
-By eating a variety less potential
exposure to a single pesticide

47. Eat Plenty of Fruits and
Vegetables
• The important thing is to eat plenty of produce.
• The health benefits of such a diet outweigh potential
risks from pesticide exposure.
• Government guidelines recommend eating a variety of
fruits and vegetables so you can take advantage of
their diverse nutritional benefits.
• Adults should aim for 4-5 cups of produce every day for
their health-promoting, disease-preventing substances.

49. Review
• Look for the USDA Organic Seal
• Don't confuse "free-range," "hormone free," or "natural"
with organic. Look for the organic seal. That means the
food is grown, harvested, and processed according to
USDA standards that include restrictions on amounts
and residues of pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.
Natural pesticides are allowed. Organic foods cannot be
treated with any sewage sludge, bioengineering, or
ionizing radiation.

50. Organic Labeling on
Non-food Items
• A complaint has been filed with the Federal
Trade Commission calls for companies that
label products “organic” to follow the same
strict USDA standards set for food products.
This means soaps, cosmetics and other items
with organic claims must be made of natural,
plant-based ingredients grown without the use
of chemicals or preservatives.

51. Resources Used
• http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/13/buying-organic-
how-to-tell-your-store-is-not-cheating-you.aspx
• http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/slideshow-organic-foods
• Purity of Federal “Organic” label is questioned at www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2009/07/02