Organic Labels – what’s the difference?

Since reviewing lots of organic products are my passion to help others live a healthier life, I have noticed many differing labels.  If a product is organic then what does the difference in the label mean?  Today we’re going to compare organic labels and give you the tools to make the best purchasing information for your family.

Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods. These methods incorporate practices that foster the use of resources to promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used. You can view the article Organics 101 for more information on what the term organic means and why it’s important.

So how do you know that your food is actually organically grown? Look at the label. If you see the USDA organic seal, the product is certified organic and has 95 percent or more organic content. For multi-ingredient products such as bread or soup, if the label claims that it is made with specified organic ingredients, you can be confident that those specific ingredients have been certified organic.

But just because a product is listed as “organic” doesn’t mean that it has been produced with the same standards as others.  Here is a list of the USDA organic labels and what they mean:

U.S.organic standards allow four different labeling options based on the percentage of organic ingredients in a product.  These are products that carry the USDA Certified Organic seal.

• 100 percent organic- Only products that have been exclusively produced using organic methods and contain only organic are allowed to carry a label declaring "100 percent organic."
• Organic-This signifies that at least 95 percent of the ingredients have been organically produced. The remaining contents can only be natural or synthetic ingredients not available in an organic form that are recommended by the National Organic Standards Board and allowed on the National List.  The product cannot use both organic and non-organic versions of any ingredient that is listed as organic. For instance, if a loaf of bread is made with organic wheat, all of the wheat in the bread must be organic.
• Made with organic- Products with 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients may display "Made with organic” on the front panel.
• Products with less than 70 percent organic ingredients can list the organic items only in the ingredient panel. There can be no mention of organic on the main panel.

This seal or label can be on the actual product, packaging or on a sign above the product display in the case of produce or items unable to be labeled directly.  The standards used to obtain this label is very strict.  The specific requirements must be verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent before products can be labeled USDA organic.  Organic certification agencies inspect and verify that organic farmers, ranchers, distributors, processors, and traders are complying with the USDA organic regulations. In addition, USDA conducts investigations and enforcement activities to ensure all products labeled as organic meet the USDA organic guidelines.

So what about those products that do not carry the USDA organic label?  These are products that many times have been imported from other countries. The regulations vary from country to country.  The EU (European Union) is the most similar to US regulations.  The differences are mainly in the livestock.

1. Slaughter - US regulations call for transition from the last third of gestation for slaughter stock and one year for dairy, while the EU regulations contain reduced conversion periods and are species specific.
2. Milk production - May be certified as organic in the U.S. after 12 months on 100% organic programs whereas EU rules allow for organic production at 6 months.
3. Healthcare - No antibiotics or hormones are allowed in the US, however, the EU does include exemptions for synthetic veterinary medicines and allows for treatments up to 3x per year

For other countries like China or Brazil the regulations are in place but the oversight seems the difficult part.  Many times the problem is ensuring that there are enough authorities to adequately monitor producers who claim their food is organic. 

So in the case of organics the label really is important.  Just like reading an ingredient label to see what is in the item you are purchasing, how it is created can be just as important.