Organic Produce

As a relatively new industry, the organic food movement is a green alternative to more conventional food production. Organic food is believed by its advocates to be healthier, ecologically balanced, and free of pesticides. While quantity and mass production are the [Page 336]major concerns of nonorganic food producers, the major concern of organic food producers is quality. As the market for organic produce increased exponentially over the last few decades of the 20th century, confusion arose as to what precisely constitutes “organic” produce. To meet the needs of consumers, trade groups and government regulatory agencies have worked to define what organic produce is and provide special certification to protect consumers, and have conducted studies to ensure that organic farms are less damaging to the environment and provide the greater nutritional value and taste expected by consumers.

To receive the classification of “organic,” a product must abide by certain rules and regulations. Produce cannot have been genetically modified, nor can nonorganic herbicides, insecticides, or pesticides have been used during the growth process. Nonorganic fertilizers are sometimes used in raising organic produce, however. In most countries, including the United States, organic produce cannot be genetically modified, meaning that produce whose genetic material has been altered using recombinant DNA technology cannot be considered organic. Certain artificial methods, such as chemical ripening and food irradiation, also preclude produce from being labeled organic. Organic farms focus on improving soil output and controlling pests through composting, using green manure, rotating crops, controlling pests biologically, and cultivating crops mechanically. Although organic produce was historically grown on smaller, family-owned farms, as demand for the product has grown, many corporations have entered the organic field. Larger producers have sometimes engaged in practices that were controversial compared with traditional practices of organic production, such as limited use of pesticides. As organic produce sales have increased by over 20 percent annually since the early 1990s, government certification of precisely what constitutes organic produce has become more widespread.

Organic farming has many benefits for the environment; namely, the practice does not release synthetic pesticides that can harm soil, water, and wildlife. Here, organic corn has more weeds late in the season, since no herbicides were used.

Many nations, including Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, and the United States, have fully implemented programs for the certification of organic produce. Certification standards vary from country to country and control standards for planting, growing, harvesting, storing, processing, packaging, and shipping organic produce. In the United States, certification originally began as the result of a private cooperative effort. Beginning in 1973, the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) was founded as a membership organization to promote and attest to its members’ organic produce. As organic produce became more popular and widespread, more consistent definitions of what determined the types of organic produce that were sought by both producers and consumers. Ultimately, in 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) promulgated a regulatory framework governing organic produce and other foods. This framework is [Page 337]known as the National Organic Program, and it sets out all aspects of production, processing, delivery, and sale to consumers of food that wishes to be labeled “organic.” All producers with sales greater than $5,000 per year must register with the USDA to have their crops labeled “USDA Organic.” The National Organic Program accredits over 100 domestic and international bodies, including cooperatives such as CCOF, that are able to offer organic certification.

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