The fundamentals of organic farming and principles of land stewardship are not new, but the USDA Organic Certification program is only about twenty years old. Learn more about what "organic" means.
Published: 10/08/18, Last updated: 9/13/24
Organic farming relies on managing the farm ecosystem, employing practices that improve soil health and avoid external outputs. Organic practices are based on:
Since 2000, organic has also been certified by the United States Department of Agriculture. USDA Certified Organic food tells the consumer that farmers, ranchers and food processing plants have followed standards that are foundational to improving the farm environment, including soil health.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified organic food is the fastest-growing segment of the food industry, with more than $43 billion in sales in 2015, up from $14 billion in 2005. The increasing popularity of organic food has also increased large-scale corporate interest in the organic industry; and while some applaud the widespread interest in and adoption of organic principles, others express concerns that corporate interest in the industry is watering down standards and changing the ideals and foundational principles at the heart of organic agriculture. Where the Certified Organic label is lacking, such as in labor and animal welfare standards, other labels along with organic can help consumers support more sustainable, regenerative principles.
As the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) puts it, organic production “is a system that begins to consider potential environmental and social impacts by eliminating the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation. These are replaced with site-specific management practices that maintain and increase long-term soil fertility and prevent pests and diseases.”
The USDA National Organic Program regulates organic agriculture. Producers and processors must adhere to USDA Organic standards to label and market their products as Certified Organic and must be verified by a third-party certifier, which requires annual inspection. The standards cover production along the supply chain, including soil and water management, pest control, livestock practices and approved food additives.
The fundamentals of organic farming and principles of land stewardship are not new — in fact, most productive farming before the advent of chemical inputs would have fit today’s broad definition of organic. 4
For crop production, the regulations:
The regulations also require that processed products labeled “organic” contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. 8 There are also downsides to the rapid growth of the industry.
Many small organic food companies have been bought up by multinational corporations looking for a share of this lucrative market. Well-known organic brands like Annie’s Homegrown and Cascadian Farms are owned by General Mills; Coca-Cola owns Honest Tea and Pepsi owns Naked Juice; Smucker’s owns RW Knudsen and Santa Cruz Organic. 10 The USDA has approved a list of synthetic substances allowed in organic processed foods and agricultural production. Initially, approval of each substance on the list would “sunset” after five years, requiring a two-thirds majority vote of the NOSB to keep it on the list. In 2013, the USDA issued new rules, instead requiring a two-thirds majority of the NOSB to remove a substance. Advocates for the change pointed to the bureaucracy involved in re-approving hundreds of substances each year, but organic advocates say the change will ultimately make it harder to question or remove synthetic substances.
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