Isn't All Food "Organic"?
For many of us, nothing captures the essence of summertime like fresh produce -whether tomatoes and corn on the cob or strawberries and watermelon. After months of half-ripened grocery store produce, the wealth of fresh, local fruits and vegetables is heavenly. And for true connoisseurs, enjoyment of the abundance is enhanced when the bounty is free of unneeded chemicals, antibodies or hormones. But how to assess the degree to which our food is "organic" or "natural"?
In 2002 the Colorado legislature passed the Organic Certification Act to provide a defined certification program for Colorado produce growers and consumers, overseen by the state department of agriculture. Nationally, oversight is provided by the USDA. Generally, organic foods are those that are free of man-made fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, antibiotics and hormones. If foods meet USDA standards for how they are grown, handled and processed, then the USDA "100% Organic" certification can appear on the label.
But these rules only apply to large farmers, if a food producer sells less than $5,000/year of organic food locally, then a "certified naturally grown" certification may be earned. And further complicating the consumer choices, the USDA regulations only apply to meat, milk, eggs, cheese and other "single ingredient" items.
For more information and help, the place to start is your computer. If you visit http://www.colorado.gov/ , type in "farmers market" and the search produces several links to the state department of agriculture's directory of Colorado farmer's markets listed by day of the week. The website http://www.organiccolorado.org is maintained by the Colorado Organic Producers Association and provides information on organic agriculture as well as lists of organic farms and suppliers. For a national perspective, websites like organicconsumers.org, naturalnews.com, and takepart.com provide news, advocate forums, current events, and opportunities to participate in global food-related reform.
So learn the terminology, shop wisely and then enjoy the season's bounty!