What Does Organic Mean?

USDAA decade ago, organic meat and produce was still on the fringe, a high-priced option largely ignored by supermarket chains and budget-conscious consumers. But all that has changed dramatically: Over the past decade, the U.S. organic industry grew 14 to 21 percent annually, with sales in 2008 (the last year figures were available) reaching $24.6 billion. You've probably tossed an organic chicken or a bag of organic spinach into your shopping cart at some point, but be honest: Do you really know what that little black-and-white USDA "organic" seal means?

How Organic Labeling Began

In 1990, Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), which gave the USDA the job of developing organic standards for meat and produce. That process was completed in 2000, and in 2002, the National Organic Program (NOP) was launched to administer national production, handling and labeling. (Basically, it's the NOP's job to make sure farmers are complying with the USDA standards.) The NOP assigns regulators called Certifying Agents - a collection of private businesses, organizations, and state agencies - to do the actual enforcement. Since there are less than 100 of them across the globe (99 at last count) inspecting each organic operation annually is a challenge, to say the least.

But What Does "Organic" Really Mean?

First of all, it's important to understand that "organic" isn't really about the product, whether it's a carrot, potato or a chicken. It's about the process used to produce that carrot. In organic farming, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers aren't allowed. The same goes for the use of antibiotics, genetic engineering, irradiation and sewage sludge. (Yes, they actually had to ban sewage sludge. Go figure.) Since chemical and petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides are usually less expensive than using alternative methods, organic products often arrive at the market with a higher price tag.

When it comes to animals, there are added wrinkles. To be labeled organic, any animal - chicken, beef, goat, whatever - must eat only organic feed, free of animal byproducts and growth hormones. The animals also must have access to the outdoors. (There's still some controversy about what, exactly, that means for chickens, though larger animals like cows are guaranteed roaming access.)

Label Confusion: What Free-Range and Other Terms Mean

So buying meat with an organic label does give you a set of assurances, and they're enforced by the Certifying Agents. But "organic" isn't the only label you'll see at the store. Here are three commonly seen meat labels, and what they actually guarantee you, the consumer:

Free-Range: Poultry labeled "free-range" is loosely regulated by the USDA, and means that the animal was raised in the open air or free to roam - but the USDA considers five minutes a day of outdoor time enough to approve the claim. Free-range labels on eggs aren't regulated at all, nor is there any regulated definition of "free-range" for beef cattle.

Natural or All-Natural: This descriptor has been defined by the USDA, but since the agency doesn't have any sort of verification process in place, it's fairly meaningless. Meat and poultry with this label isn't supposed to have any artificial flavoring, color, chemical preservatives or artificial ingredients, and should be "minimally" processed.

Antibiotic-Free: This is another term that the USDA has defined, but doesn't really have the means to verify. Although they've ruled that meat producers can't use "antibiotic-free" (that claim is considered "unapprovable") producers can label their meat with "no antibiotics administered" or "raised without antibiotics."

More Confusion: Three Different "Organic" Labels

Complicated enough for you? The confusion doesn't stop there. The USDA actually has three tiers of what it calls organic, and each label means something very different.

100% Organic: The gold standard of organics. If you see this label, you can be sure it's entirely organic, with nothing else in the mix.

Organic: This label is a bit trickier. To get a USDA "Organic" label, a product must contain 95 percent organically grown ingredients. The remaining five percent may be non-organic, but must be on a National List of "approved" ingredients.

Synthetic materials can only be used in organic production after they are approved by the National Organic Standards Board and put on the National List. In an attempt to keep the standards current, everything on the list needs to be re-approved and re-listed every five years.

Made With Organic Ingredients: Products with this label have to contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients, three of which have to be listed on the back of the package. The remaining 30 percent of the non-organic ingredients must be on that USDA national list. (You won't see the USDA logo on these products, only a certifier's logo.) If you want to know more about your area's certifying agents, you can check out the helpful Eco Labels section of the site GreenerChoices.org.

The Bottom Line on Organics

Basically, if you're interested in eating organically, it comes down to this: Your best bet is to look for a "100% Organic" label whenever possible. It's the only way to ensure that you've got a government agency keeping an eye on the claims the producer is making.

Helpful Links about Organics:
USDA's National Organic Program
National Organic Coalition
Consumer Reports Greener Choices

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