What Is Organic Food? Definition, Benefits, How to Buy, and More -

The “organic” designation isn’t necessarily a measure of how healthy or nutritious a food is. Instead, it’s about the farming and processing practices used.

”The USDA sets the rules for what is organic — everything from what you feed your livestock to what kinds of pesticides you are allowed to use to what kind of records you have to keep,” says Neva Hassanein, PhD, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Montana in Missoula.

For plant foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains to be labeled organic or use the USDA Organic Seal, they must be grown in soil that hasn’t been treated with prohibited substances, which includes most, but not all, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, as outlined in the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (the USDA’s official list of which products may be used in organic farming). In addition, these foods can’t undergo genetic modification.

In organic farming, natural products like compost and manure are used to help plant growth and soil health instead of chemical fertilizers, and certain crops that won’t be sold are planted in between harvests to enrich the soil, explains Melissa Bell, a research coordinator at North Carolina State Extension’s Center for Environmental Farming Systems.

Instead of using synthetic pesticides, organic farmers protect their crops from pests by regularly checking for them, growing different crops in different seasons to disrupt the pests, and using certain organic pesticides when absolutely needed, Bell adds.

For meat and poultry to be labeled organic, the animals must be raised on organic land using the same standards as plant foods; fed organic feed; given year-round access to the outdoors (except in inclement weather); and not given antibiotics, hormones, or other prohibited substances. Grazing animals like sheep and cattle must also have access to pasture during the grazing season.

Processed foods that contain multiple ingredients (such as chips, crackers, cookies, or frozen meals) can qualify for one of four organic claims, depending on their contents:

“100 Percent Organic” This label is for foods that are made up entirely of organic ingredients.
“Organic” To use this label, foods may contain up to 5 percent of certain non-organic ingredients on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
“Made With Organic Ingredients” A food with this label must be made up of at least 70 percent certified organic ingredients, and any non-agricultural products used (like enzymes and acids) must be on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
Specific Organic Ingredients If a food doesn’t specify a percentage of certified organic ingredients, it can’t use the word “organic” in its packaging, except in the ingredients list, to designate specific organic ingredients.

How to Get Organic Certification

To get organic certification, a producer or handler must submit an application to the USDA that describes in detail how they will abide by the organic requirements, including substances from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances and how they’ll keep records.

Then, a USDA-certified agent comes to their farm or facility for a thorough inspection. Once a farm or facility is approved, the producer or handler must submit annual records detailing their practices. A certified agent comes back once a year for an inspection.

Organic vs. Non-GMO Food

“Non-GMO means the food in question has not been genetically modified in any way,” says Stacey Woodson, RD, a registered dietitian based in Philadelphia. A food cannot be labeled organic if it’s genetically modified. “Therefore, organic food is automatically non-GMO, but non-GMO is not necessarily organic,” Woodson says.

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