Certified Organic: Non-GMO and so Much More

When it comes to food labels, the USDA Certified Organic seal is trustworthy, highly regarded and indicates so much more than just “pesticide-free food.” The label represents a regenerative, transparent and ecologically sound system of food production that produces abundant, nutritious, delicious food.

Organic food is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, animals in organic production aren’t administered antibiotics or growth hormones, and organic foods are “Non-GMO” meaning they were not bioengineered in a lab. The same is not necessarily true of conventionally farmed and produced foods. Only organic certification communicates specifically how food was produced.

The organic seal represents a set of positive goals for our food system. At its best, organic production uses regenerative practices that, once established, are relatively self-perpetuating and long-term solutions.

Organic agriculture protects people and planet

• Better for farmworker health. Organic farming methods prohibit the use of toxic synthetic pesticides that pose health risks for farmworkers.
• Better for animal welfare. Animals in organic production have access to fresh air and sunlight, this keeps animals healthier so farmers don’t need to rely on daily doses of antibiotics to keep them well.
• Better for climate. Organic farming methods build healthy soil that can hold more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reducing greenhouse gases.  

Organic agriculture is transparent

• Organic is a global movement. Many countries participate in programs that standardize organic certification requirements internationally. This means that for something imported to be labeled as organic, it must have international documentation that its production adhered to the same standards or better than items bearing the USDA Organic seal.

• Organic is third-party verified. Items that bear the USDA Organic seal have a fully transparent production and delivery record known as an “audit trail” that is annually documented, inspected and evaluated by third-party organic certifying agents. It’s their job to ensure organic producers adhere to the organic standards developed and legally protected by USDA’s National Organic Program.

Organic means no bioengineering

• No bioengineered (BE) seeds.  Under the organic standards, using seeds produced with bioengineering is an excluded practice. Bioengineering conflicts with the basic philosophy of organic farming which takes the approach of working with natural biological systems in order to produce healthy food.
• No bioengineered pollen. Because BE crops are widespread in the U.S., organic farmers must take extra steps to ensure their organic crops are not inadvertently contaminated by pollen from BE crops. These efforts are verified by their inspector each year. Methods used include timing their planting to prevent cross-pollination with a neighbor’s BE crops, preserving a “buffer zone” of uncultivated land around the perimeter of the farm, and documented cleaning of farm equipment.

Tested for bioengineered residue. Certifiers accredited by the USDA conduct periodic residue testing to further verify organic food does not test positive for prohibited substances, including BE DNA.