Buying organic products means a lot to a lot of people. But what exactly does “organic” mean? According to Webster’s Dictionary organic is defined as “relating to or derived from living matter.” When referring to food or farming methods it is defined as “having been produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial agents.” USDA developed rules and regulations relating to the certification of organic products in 2002. It is one of the few certification programs relating to food products recognized by USDA.
Sounds good right? We should all buy organic and save the world. It certainly wouldn’t hurt; but before you do that consider a few things first.
The organic “movement” was around long before USDA adopted it as a certified label. Farmers and ranchers eager to raise natural products free of artificial inputs began doing so as far back as the 1960’s in response to the rapidly growing industrialization of agriculture after World War II. Most did it out of concern for health and environment and some did it because they recognized a market niche. By the turn of the millennium the organic movement had morphed from a far-flung collection of small producers into the very mega culture mass production machine that had taken over agricultural production in the first place. Once only available in specialized small stores and food coops, organic products had become commonplace on the shelves of Walmart and other large retailers. Organic production, once the domain of small-time growers (folks called them “hippy farmers” back in the day), had by year 2000 been largely coopted by the likes of Tyson, Cargill and a handful of other large processors. Since companies of that ilk generally influence government food policy, it would follow suit that certification on a national scale would be adopted.
Again, sounds good. Making more organic products available to consumers on a massive scale at lower prices under the auspices of government certification must be a good thing, right? Depends on who you ask.
Many of the small growers who worked hard long ago to buck the trend toward mass food production don’t think it’s a good thing. Those of us (including we at Pittsburgher Highland Farm) who use all organic practices in our operations but cannot afford the lengthy and costly certification process (remember it was developed by and for the big producers) don’t necessarily think its all good. Certainly, the thousands of growers and producers selling their goods locally might take exception to the widespread availability of certified organic products likely shipped in from far flung corporate farms and distribution centers, thereby increasing the already high carbon footprint of agriculture.
Organic certification has everything to do with what is used in the production of any given food product, be it plant, or animal based. Use of chemical pesticides and herbicides as well as chemical fertilizers and antibiotics or growth hormones at any stage of growth and production would prevent organic certification. This extends to three years prior to actual certification. Farmers growing cattle for beef must do so with certified organic feed on certified organic land and through certified organic facilities. Certification is handled through USDA-approved private certification agencies. The process is both expensive and time consuming. Further, many large food processors have substituted chemical inputs with newly created “substances” that meet the USDA criteria. Fly sprays and other products labeled “organic” and certified such are not uncommon.
The word “organic” simply doesn’t mean what it did several decades ago. What was once truly an “organic” movement (see Webster’s definition) has become a corporate movement managed by big business and certified by big government. A quote of which I’m fond was that of a small produce grower attending a sustainable ag conference responding to a statement from an exec responsible for his company’s organic compliance. The farmer gentleman said, “I worked hard and sacrificed much in order to change my operation so that I could call my products organic, and now sir you are sitting on that word as if it had been yours all along!”
Consider as well what organic does NOT mean. It does not mean, as already discussed, local. Certified organic food products can be produced anywhere – and even imported – and thus shipped anywhere. Most of the organic meat, produce and other food products are shipped long distances before landing on grocery shelves for purchase by consumers guilty of only trying to do their part to make the world a better place. It does not mean healthy. Any food product can be certified organic, and that includes things high in saturated fats and sugars. Ice cream and candy bars can be just as organic as spinach and kale. Lastly and near and dear to my heart, it does not mean grass-fed. Cattle and other livestock fattened by corn and grain in corporate feedlots are far more likely to wind up labeled certified organic than livestock grown 100% on grass and forage and raised on small farms located close to their customers.
Most small food producers (PHF included) have ceded certification to the big guns and have focused on the use of organic practices without certification. Most small-scale producers would have to increase prices significantly to cover the direct and indirect costs of attaining and maintaining organic certification. This is something that few of us want to do, especially with food prices rising already. Few of our customers ask if we are organic, and even fewer ask if we are certified. What matters most to them is that we are local and that we are truly a grass-fed operation. If confronted with questions about organic certification I often respond that we are organic with a small “o” and try to explain what that means.
So what is a consumer to do then? If you are compelled to buy certified organic, check the labels for ingredients, producer, and location origin. If you want to be sure your goods are local, try shopping at farmers markets, local markets, or food coops instead of chain stores. The best way to be certain that the food we eat is what we want is to know who grew it and how they grew it. Pittsburgher Highland Farm and lots of other producers are eager to show you.