Recently, lobbyists have been pushing harder than ever to alter the definition of words that are the most attractive to consumers. Definitions of words like “organic” and “natural” may be loosened so more products can advertise those attributes on their labels. Walmart alone has spent millions to have the definition of “organic” changed so it can claim to sell more organic products. This can be really confusing because after all, what does it all mean today?
The USDA defines organic as:
“..food produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”
-Consumer Brochure, USDA National Organic Program
As you can see, the label “organic” does significantly change how a product is produced. Do notice also, the definition says “most conventional pesticides,” so if you are one who is wary of pesticides, it will be extremely difficult to find what particular pesticides were used. Now that the organic issue is somewhat cleared up, what about all those egg cartons that claim to be selling eggs from free-range chickens?
The USDA defines free-range as:
"Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.”
-fsis.usda.gov
Access to the outside doesn’t mean access to the outdoors and the ability to walk or even necessarily getting out of individual shelved cages. One documentary noted that access to the outside for some farmers simply meant opening the barn door for an hour every day while the chickens stayed in their stacked cages. In many cases, letting the chickens walk freely for an hour every day wouldn’t actually change much since many chickens grown for meat have such genetically altered large breasts, they actually can’t walk, which is funny, sad, and creepy all at the same time.
Since the organic craze hit, labels have been plastered with the words “all natural” and “natural” more than ever before. But what does natural actually mean? After many years of uncertainty and deliberation on how to define this very broad term, it was decided that natural, for now, would only apply to meat and poultry products.
The USDA defines natural as:
"A product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed (a process which does not fundamentally alter the raw product) may be labeled natural. The label must explain the use of the term natural (such as - no added colorings or artificial ingredients; minimally processed.)."
-fsis.usda.gov
“All natural” can be plastered on the front of any food that’s not meat or poultry. Trust me; bagged cookies are never all natural. So you see, any prudent shopper needs to be aware of the claims made by food manufacturers. Labels can be misleading. If you are a grocery shopper who cares about what goes into the food you eat, knowing what the labels mean will make all the difference.
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