Many products are labelled organic these days but a lot of people don’t really know what that means. While some farms consider organic to be animals raised without the use of hormones or antibiotics, it’s actually more complicated.

The USDA allows land to be certified under the National Organic Program (NOP) as organic after three verifiable years without the use of pesticides or herbicides and a continuation of that status after certification. For the crops to be organic they must continue to be grown without the use of such chemicals. The produce harvested also must be made market ready within organic limits which means limited or no use of synthetic cleaners.

In the area of organic livestock, not only do the animals have to be raised under the regulations set forth by USDA but the pasture land on which they reside must also be certified. In addition to pasture or browse, any minerals, supplements or grain fed to the livestock must also qualify as organic under the NOP’s rules.

In the case of dairy operations, teat dips and other cleansing or maintenance items must also be on the NOP approved list. Any animals that become ill and can not be successfully treated without the use of an antibiotic must be culled from the organic program or the herd in order to maintain organic status.

Being certified organic is a daunting task requiring a great deal of research, planning and government paperwork. It can boost overall sales and the prices received for agricultural products, but also requires periodic oversight and inspections by USDA personnel and the regulations can be confusing and, at times, misleading. Do your homework.

For those who want a product that is healthy and chemical free, talk to your producer. Some are labelled “natural” rather than organic due to the complicated process of becoming certified but may follow more stringent procedures than those required by USDA. Farmers who raise livestock organically or naturally are more than happy to tell you about their operation.

More information about USDA’s National Organic Program can be found here.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 2:26 pm and is filed under Featured Posts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.