Labeling Organic Foods In The United States

Yes, the government owns the word organic and they have the power to decide what the term actually means, for example the ‘organic’ food that is produced in these industrial organic farms are subject to the same repugnant conditions all other conventional farms are subject to. As a father, I can recall making decisions on purchasing the more expensive food item because it was right next to the “bad one” and the “good one” had on the label that it was organically made so I never bothered to read the label. If I would’ve stopped and read the labels, I would’ve discovered that the good decision that I had made for the health of my family was actually just as bad as the food we are trying to stay away from. Even the stores such as Trader Joes and Whole Foods are guilty of having tainted food in their aisles. Growing up with a mother that is conscious of her health, these “healthy” food markets are a shock to find out they are killing us too. In an article by Darla Cameron and Peter Whoriskey, Who is behind organic brands, they say that “Consumers may not know that these 92 organic food brands are owned by some of the nation’s largest food processors.”, the largest food processors are in deep with government that there is not enough regulations to

In ‘What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic Food,’ by Steven Shapin, Steven talks about organic food and what organic food means. Steven states that Earthbound farm, a business in organic food, uses toxic chemical pesticide, synthetic fertilizer, and tractors to farm their products. But is it still organic after all the chemical treatment? Steven also says that organic food cost more and has better tasting. If you don’t want chemical in your food then spend more on organic food. Lastly, Steven had another meaning that knowing the person who farmed the products and are local farmers then that makes food organic. Therefore; I believe that organic foods are from professional business in farms.

With the organic industry booming and up until recently showing an annual growth rate of 20% it has been necessary for the federal government to step in and regulate the previously self regulated industry. Initially, regulation of this industry was implemented by private nonprofit organizations and some state governments as a way to put an end to consumer fraud and to ensure the integrity of organic food. This

In order to establish eating the healthiest foods possible, any individual can shop for organic foods that have “organic” labels on them. Organically grown foods have an immense amount of pure nutrients and healthier ingredients than GMO food. This high-quality alternative accomodates a healthy and safe lifestyle. The ultimate gain of health is indulged by considering a wise decision such as consuming organic foods and products. Diverse organic produce generates health benefits that outweigh the price premiums associated with it. Due to countless usage of unadapted chemicals, crops are evidently damaged and captivated with extremely toxic pesticides and insecticides. Recently, GMO foods have severely

With the sales of organic foods rapidly increasing in recent years, jumping from $1 billion to $21 billion in just eighteen years, it is important for consumers to be well-informed when choosing either organic or inorganic (Bradbury et al, 2014). These products, with labels boasting claims such as no artificial fertilizers or pesticides and the use of ecologically friendly farming techniques, have become somewhat of a trend since their arrival in the early to mid twentieth century. As the public becomes increasingly cautious of what they eat, concern has been growing regarding the adverse health effects of ingestion of pesticides and artificial fertilizers in food products. It is not surprising, therefore, that perceived health

As a part of the American Marketing Service (AMS), the NOP was founded in 1939 and strives to develop “national standards for organically-produced agricultural products” (“National”). Their mission is to ensure goods with an organic seal are controlled and distributed as uniformly as possible, and they take every complaint with a heavy hand to keep irregularities to a minimum. In 1990, the USDA was instructed to “establish uniform national standards for organic food and farming, fixing the definition of a word that had always meant different things to different people” (Pollan 154). Since then the term organic has been manipulated and distorted by large companies in order to push their products to as big a market as possible, leaving consumers dazed and confused about the actual standards of the foods they were purchasing. Often times, the true meaning of the extravagant or misleading words on the packaging is hard to translate for the average consumer-organic being no different. The seal that dawns certified organic products provides no insight into the qualifications needed in order to receive that stamp nor is the USDA very forthcoming about the actual meaning of the word organic. Any retailer can slap an “organic” label on their product so long as “at least 95% of the farm-grown ingredients are organic and you sell direct to customers in

The general public sees any type of organic food as being produced “straight out of a backyard garden” or “right off of the family farm”. But is it really freshly picked tomatoes right out of Grandma Mae’s garden or chicken breast from a local farm? If the food purchased is from Whole Foods or the organic section at Walmart, then that probably is not the case. Large organic farms are what usually supply Whole Foods and other larger chain stores that have organics. They are not what people initially think of when imagining the typical organic farm. They usually think of a small plot of land with an old farmhouse, chicken coops, a red barn, and a large pasture of grass. Even though there are still organic farms like that,

Organic products meet stringent standards
. Organic certification is the public 's assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures without persistent toxic chemical inputs."

1.What requirements must be met in order to label a food product “certified organic?” What is meant by the food labels “free range,” “natural” and “fair trade?” Are foods labeled “natural” considered organic? In order for a food product to be labeled as certified organic, the farm it is being produced on must preserve its natural recourses, as well support animal health, not use genetically modified foods (GMOS) as well as going threw the process of annual onsite inspections, keeping its organic products secluded from non-organic products. “Free range” is defined as that the animals being kept as livestock are allowed to access the outdoors in the day ay some point, and not be confined indoors 24/7. Natural means that the food product

What is healthier, a frozen apple pie, labeled USDA organic but containing a dozen ingredients, or an apple from your local farmer’s market? The farmer may be using pesticides and artificial fertilizer; things that were not used in the apple pie. However, the apple pie may have been made with apples shipped from New Zealand or across the world, and it may list ingredients that are just as perplexing as fast food ingredients; carrageenan, xanthan gum, soy lecithin, inulin, tetrasodium pyrophosphate. All these additives are allowed for use in USDA organic foods. There are an increasing amount of people with interest in organic foods. However, the actual concepts between these health foods is leading to confusion and frustration. My first goal is to define the terms used in the health food industry. For example, the term “organic” can be misleading. It can be defined by the USDA, or by other organizations by state or by other countries. The terms “sustainable” or “fair trade” are often combined on organic food labels, but the common consumer does not comprehend what they mean. Even the term “whole foods” has lost its true meaning, due to conjuring up the image of Whole Foods

An important industry driving force is marketing innovations. "In October 2002 the U.S. Department Agriculture (USDA) officially established labeling standards for organic products, overriding both the patchwork of inconsistent state regulations for what could be labeled as organic and the different rules of some 43 agencies for certifying organic products." By establishing labeling standards for organic products concerning what could be called organic insures that people are receiving pure organic products. "The new labeling program was not intended as a healthy or safety program (organic products have not been shown to be more nutritious than conventionally grown products, according to the American Dietetic Association), but rather as marketing solution." By creating stricter standards it made it harder for growers, processors, exporters, importers, shippers and merchants to prove that their product were

Organic means a compounds or food substances that contain carbon or another meaning is that it’s product are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionization radiation. The scientist believes that it’s can be misleading because the producer or retailer take the opportunity to use the organic label on anything to raise the prices of their product. The organic certification is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products such as seed suppliers, farmers, food Processors, and etc. Before 1990, the certified organic food label is can be very misleading because it’s not been proved to be safer or nutritious as the regular food, but the prices are double of that cost. In 1990, the U.S. Organic Foods Production Act that direct the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to establish certification standards and any seal or claim that is not meet the standard requirement, the company can be fines of 10000 per violent. There is not enough scientific nor strong evidence to prove that organic is safe or reduce exposure to pesticides and antibiotic-resistant bacteria than regular food. Organic food is about 30 percent less contamination of chemical than regular food and this it still below the government safety tolerance. However, it’s difficult to point out and using precautions and educated yourself when chose your food, will able to minimize consumer from fraud. Organic food is more nutritious than conventional because have a lower risk of harmful substance or chemical add to the food like pesticides and have higher essential nutrition like mineral and vitamins and fewer nitrates. I would purchase organic food because it a natural food growth, more nutritious, and probability safer to eat than the conventional food. However, between prices, I would still prefer the conventional one because is something that I can afford it. I also would choose conventional food

Organic versus non-organic foods are always being debated to whether they are worth the extra cost. This seems to be an easy question, at first, but begs a more in-depth analysis to come to a conclusion. Organic definitions can vary by government, company and even individuals. Many people have their own ideas of what organic means. My personal definition, before this research assignment, was that organic products were grown with no pesticides, chemical additives, or preservatives and grown in a humane way. Meaning that if it said 100% organic, that is what was meant. This however, is not the case when it comes to the government’s definition of organic, according to T. A. Niewold who wrote, “Organic More Healthy; Green Shoots in a

According to the USDA, organic foods consist of foods and products that are grown without the use of sewage sludge, harmful pesticides, and fertilizers made from synthetic ingredients. These standards and guidelines were implemented with the overall objective of improving the quality of the food supply while also preserving the environment. The Organic Foods Act (OFPA) “authorized a new USDA National Organic Program (NOP) to set national standards for the production, handling, and processing of organically grown agricultural products. In addition, the Program oversees mandatory certification of organic production.” (Gold “Organic Production/Organic Food:”) When these standards are upheld, consumers are given the opportunity to educate themselves on the contents found in their food, which

The department of the United States government that is responsible for programming anything related to food, agriculture and nutrition (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.