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"Certified Organic"
is a labeling term that denotes products
produced under the authority of the
Organic Foods Production Act. The
principal guidelines for organic
production are to use materials and
practices that enhance the ecological
balance of natural systems and that
integrate the parts of the farming
system into an ecological whole.
Organic agriculture practices cannot
ensure that products are completely free
of residues; however, methods are used
to minimize pollution from air, soil and
water. Organic food handlers, processors
and retailers adhere to standards that
maintain the integrity of organic
agricultural products. The primary goal
of organic agriculture is to optimize
the health and productivity of
interdependent communities of soil life,
plants, animals and people."
Farmers must grow produce for three
years without the application of
synthetic pesticides or chemicals. The
farm, its equipment, and any processing
facilities are inspected by an
independent agency unaffiliated with the
grower, the processor or the vendor, and
are then issued a certificate from that
agency certifying the farm's produce as
"organic." |
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