“Organic” – The term is all across the food packaging landscape. It’s often accompanied by a myriad of badges, seals, and other qualifiers. You’re likely to find it paired with: “Inspected by the US Department of Agriculture”, “All-Natural”, “Non-GMO”, and “Fair-Trade”. Last year, we outlined the difference between important labels and unregulated buzzwords, so you can understand how weighty a product’s claim really is. Read that guide here.
So what can you trust?
The short answer: You can usually trust the presence of the word “organic.” But you can always trust the presence of the USDA Organic Seal.
Unlike many buzzwords on food labels, “organic” has a legal definition, and it’s enforceable if misused. While some packages may convey the earthy, feel-good vibe of “organic” in their packaging, it’s an entirely different league to be certified organic. Only operations that pass the thorough examination of a USDA-accredited third-party inspection are permitted use of the USDA Organic Seal. This is the stamp of approval on a producer’s organic claim.
Along with inspections, the USDA requires an Organic Systems Plan for every organic farm and an annual review of farms’ records. And farmers that claim to be organic but aren’t can face serious fines – up to $11,000 per violation. This is not a light undertaking for any farm.
As a shopper, this gives you some insight, albeit pretty surface-level, of what it takes to get this seal on a product. Essentially, anything certified USDA Organic was not produced with synthetic chemical agents or engineered in a lab, but relied instead on organisms largely growing the way they naturally grow. That plant used its natural inputs to produce its fruit. That animal was raised outside, eating its natural foods to make its product. Neither received artificial enhancements outside of diligent care, feeding, watering, and protection from a human farmer.
The other big benefit we haven’t mentioned yet? Transparency. Organic certification means you know exactly what you’re getting from that farm because it’s been verified by an outside source. And that verification happens annually. There’s no filler, no synthetic additives, and no secrets to our production methods.
This is why you can feel better about buying your food from a company that is allowed to use this seal. The difference is big, for both our health and our environment. Even the legal limits of synthetic pesticides allowed by agricultural law have significant negative effects on our health and ecosystem. The National Organic Program has given consumers the ability to opt out of eating these harmful synthetics.
Some important distinctions as you shop with an eye for organic:
For many, the meaning of organic goes much deeper than what’s been written into law, but it’s no less sacred. For farmers who have not just been USDA certified, but also certified as a Real Organic Project, organic means a commitment to going a step further. And we’ve been proudly Real Organic Project certified since 2024.
The Real Organic Project requires that certified operations raise their livestock on pasture, meaning all animals have access to natural forage. It also requires that veggies and fruits be grown in the actual soil, as opposed to hydroponically. When you grow in a field and employ all of the philosophy we’ve discussed so far, you’re actually improving the quality of the soil. Roots prevent erosion, so the volume of fertile land isn’t reduced over time. And by feeding those plants, you are actually enriching the microbiome within the soil.
This approach to farming holds above all a dedication to nature. We strive to let plants and animals live and grow like they’re built to. Our practices for raising them must produce a net benefit for our ecosystem, not take away from it. Our production methods must be transparent.
We’re happy to choose a way of farming that actively improves the health of our community and environment. Is it harder? Definitely. Is it worth it? We think so.
Get to know your local organic farm. Attend a farm tour, have conversations, ask questions, and pay attention to what we do that’s important to you. As your food farm, we nourish and sustain you and your family. At the end of the day, you know as much about your food as you know about your farmer.