Organic, Locally Grown, Pesticide Free, Grown Naturally.... What does all this mean?
Are you confused by all of the different marketing ploys touting Grown Locally, Organic, Grown Naturally or Pesticide Free? Well…. I was. At times I might still be confused by the new slogans or catch phrases that advertising firms are coming up with. I am hoping I might be able to shed a little light on what each of these means and what how I try to navigate when I’m at a unfamiliar Farmers Market.
Lets start with Pesticide Free. This is a term generally used when crops have not been treated with any synthetic (human-made) chemicals that are used in controlling insects, weeds, or disease-causing organisms. (1) While this term is widely used, it isn’t governed by any agency to verify the farmer claiming to be Pesticide Free, is in fact pesticide free. This allows anyone to use this label whether it is truthful or not. While I personally want to purchase and consume pesticide free foods, I have to truly trust my farmer and their practices as anyone could use this as a way to falsely market their products.
Naturally Grown and Certified Naturally Grown are two different terms I have seen at markets and grocery stores. The word “natural” is used with little to no oversight. I have yet to find a true definition of what the term natural entails when used regarding food. My personal opinion is that this term is used when food products are grown as “natural” as possible. Well…what does that mean? It leaves the interpretation of the term natural, up to the farmer. His/her interpretation can often differ then how the customer interprets. It wasn’t until I researched Certified Naturally Grown that I found guidelines that a farmer must adhere to in order to label their products with the CNG label. Livestock farmers must feed non-GMO, and their feed must be grown without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides however, it doesn’t have to be organic. Certified Naturally Grown farmers don't use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicide, or GMOs, just like certified organic farmers. (2) I have personally purchased and consumed foods advertised as naturally grown. I trust my farmer(s). If I didn’t know my farmer or I am looking into another farm to add something to our plate I would either:
Educate myself prior. I would know the requirements for the terms being used. I don’t let words such as hybrid, greenhouse grown, hydroponics or others deter me. I establish a baseline of what is important to me in my food. I would prepare questions I need to ask ahead of time and ask farmers their practices before I buy. Don’t be afraid! Opinions differ and that’s okay!
If I was absolutely in a place where I felt like my options were “sketchy” and I wasn’t getting the right answers to my questions, I would stick to those that have the Certified Naturally Grown label or Certified Organic just to be safe. I want to add that the CNG and CO labels are not what I stick to all the time at my own markets. I have learned that often these labels are not used due to cost of participating in these programs. It doesn’t mean the farmer isn’t following the same practices.
Locally Grown… one of my favorites. We use a Locally Laid or Locally Grown label on our eggs, meats and various other items. Yet again, another term used loosely with no “real” over sight. Normally, this term is used by farmers at markets to certify that their products were grown locally. I find myself often asking, what does locally mean? Does it mean a certain number of miles from the market? Does this mean in the same county as the market? Does local mean the same thing to the consumer as it does to the farmer? So many questions and yet… still no answers. The short answer is to ask the farmer that you are purchasing from or the head market tent what their rules are for vendors to sell their items. At some markets it must be grown within 50 miles, others it is 100 miles. We have participated in markets that have strict requirements and inspections of your farm to ensure you are the person growing what you sell. We have been to others that use the honor system and never visit your farm to insure what you sell is what YOU grow and not something you picked up at a produce auction and marked as your own. (this happens a lot) As a consumer you have to decide what is local enough for you. Many vendors might only be 10 miles from the market, others might be more. It is up to you to educate yourself and decide how local is local for you. On a personal note, local is important to me. Less carbon footprint with local fare and I have found it to be the most flavorful. I will also add that defining the term local is important on some products more than others, one being honey. (future blog post is in the works about why honey is more important to me regarding locality than other crops)
Lastly, Certified Organic. This term is regulated by the USDA. Any food products labeled organic must contain at least 95% organic ingredients with no synthetic growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, biotechnology, synthetic ingredients or irradiation used in production or processing. (3) Farmers using the Certified Organic label must adhere to strict regulations and inspections. I have been to several farmers markets and I have seen farmers using only the word organic without the certified term being attached. When I have inquired about the organic status the responses have been mixed. Either, yes they are certified organic or farmers believe they can use the organic label as long as they use organic methods. I have a tendency to shy away from those that use the organic label without actually being certified WITHOUT further conversation. As you get better at speaking to your local farmers you will quickly figure out who is the “real deal” and who isn’t.
If you have stuck with this post this long I am sure you are wondering how we label our products. The short answer is, we don’t….. or at least we label minimally. We do label with Locally Grown/Laid as we meet the requirements to sell at the farmers markets, which for our market is 50 miles or less. If a customer asks, we do discuss our practices, which can vary from one crop to the next. We use as much insect netting, hand picking, neem oil, insecticidal soap and other organic methods as we can. We have run into times where we have lost entire crops or have had serious damage to trees and their fruits because of invasive species. We try our very best to be good stewards and utilize every option before we have to spray with anything other than organic sprays. I can 100% say the following,
Not every kitchen scrap or banana peel thrown to our chickens is organic.
Not every ton of compost we haul in is organic.
Our farm is surrounded by conventional farms who are not organic. We do participate in a drift program which requires row crop farmers to inform us prior to spraying allowing us time to take precautions against drifting, but the method isn’t perfect every time.
We can’t encourage you enough to educate yourself, talk to your farmer, visit their farm, ask questions… heck make a friend out of them. Know your food, know your options and sign up below for our farm updates….. you won’t regret it!