| Organic refers to the way food and
fiber products are grown and processed. The word "organic" on the label stands
for a commitment to an agriculture which strives for a balance with nature, using methods
and materials which are of low impact to the environment. Organic production contributes
to a "sustainable agriculture", because it takes the long view of preserving the
health and productivity of our farmlands, rather than focusing solely on short term
profits. Organic Agriculture
Organic farmers use growing methods that replenish, not exhaust, the soil. And
rather than applying chemical herbicides or pesticides, organic farmers use properly timed
cultivation, insect traps, and naturally derived pest controls such as soap sprays,
beneficial insect release, and botanical pest controls such as Bacillus thuringiensis
(Bt), which targets leaf-eating caterpillars without harming humans, pets or other
insects.
Organic Livestock
Organic livestock producers raise animals in uncrowded, healthy conditions without
routine use of antibiotics, growth hormones or plastic pellets which are sometimes used to
add "roughage" to feed for conventional meat and dairy animals. Organic
livestock production stresses healthy living conditions and attentive care for all farm
animals.
Organic Processed Products
Organic processors are committed to maintaining the integrity of the organic crops
they purchase as ingredients for their products. You won't find non-essential
preservatives and stabilizers, such as sulfites, nitrates or nitrites in organic processed
foods because organic processors use natural ingredients whenever possible. (The few
exceptions to this rule include non-agricultural ingredients such as salt, baking soda and
pectin.)
When you buy organic products, you are adding your
support to the growing movement towards a sustainable future. And, wonderfully, you are
getting some of the best-tasting, most nutritious, and most interesting products on the
market today.
©Organic Trade Association |
