of the USDA food labeling system

by Kristin Riger

USDAorganic

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WHAT IS ORGANIC?

It’s been seven years since the United States Department of Agriculture began the

organic certification program, and customer demand has since pushed the industry

to the fastest growing segment of the food industry. The majority of Americans buy

organics on occasion, and most think they are safer, healthier and more sustainable.

The goal of organic food production is to farm without the use of toxic pesticides

and fertilizers, raise livestock humanely and produce the most nutritious food. The

USDA, however, continues to relax its standards, the humane treatment of animals is

not regulated, and evidence is mixed on whether organic food is more nutritious.

But there is hope. An improvement in our health and the environment can occur with

a shift away from highly processed foods, whether it is organically produced or not.

Consumers would reduce the amount of resources used for food production, as well

as diseases linked to poor diets. This shift can only begin, however, by understanding

that a healthier lifestyle and safer environment goes beyond depending on a label.

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GROWTH IN ORGANICSConsumer interest in organic foods has opened market opportunities

for food producers. Once a niche product sold in a limited number of

retail outlets, organic foods can now be found in most conventional

supermarkets and club stores, and longtime manufacturers of conven-

tional products have introduced organic items to their product lines.

As a result of this demand, the industry has grown nearly 20% per

year since 2005, according to the Organic Trade Association, and is

projected to experience continuous growth.

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anic

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02005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

(Projected)Year

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ORGANIC FOOD LABEL ORIGINS

1940s 1962 1973 1979

Synthetic pesticides and herbicides

were introduced to the American

agriculture and embraced and used

wholeheartedly.

Rachel Carson documents the negative

effects of chemicals in agriculture, giv-

ing rise to a renewed focus on organic

agriculture and the environment.

The synthetic pesticide DDT is

banned, marking the beginning

of the modern environmental

movement in the United States.

The first organization to certify

organic farms in North America,

the Certified Organic Farmers, is

formed.

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1990s 2000 2001 2002

Congress passes the initial Federal

Organic Foods Production Act of

1990, establishing the framework for

National Organic Standards.

The USDA releases a major study

showing that certified organic crop

land more than doubled during

the previous decade. Some livestock

sectors grew even faster.

The USDA passes the Final Organic

Rule after reinstating prohibitions

on irradiation, as well as genetically

engineered seed and sewage sludge.

Deadline for compliance with the

provisions of the Final Organic Rule.

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ORGANIC DEFINED

100% ORGANIC ORGANIC ORGANIC INGREDIENTS INGREDIENT PANEL ONLY

All ingredients are organic.

The USDA Organic logo may

be used on the packaging.

Contains 95% of organic

ingredients. The USDA

Organic logo may be used.

70% to 94% of the product

Is organic. The USDA Organic

logo may not be used.

The food has less than 70% of

organic ingredients. The USDA

Organic logo may not be used.

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THE ORGANIC FARMING MISSION

Return organic nutrients to the

soil just as the natural growing

process does.

Raise animals humanely in

accordance with nature by

allowing outdoor grazing.

Produce the nutritious food

possible without the use of

antibiotics or hormones.

Save carbon emissions by

supporting local, sustainable

farmnig communities.

Natural Humane Healthy Ecological

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THE SYSTEM TODAY FALLS SHORT...

There is no requirement that

that organic products follow

the natural growing process.

How much access animals are

given to the outdoors is not

spelled out.

A significant amount of non-

organic substances are used in

USDA organic products.

The USDA certifies international

products, despite carbon emissions

involved with travel.

No Regulation No Accountability No Health Guarantees Often Not Ecological

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The list of allowable non-organic

substances in organic products has

grown from 77 to 255 since 2002.

An amendment to the 2006 agriculture

appropriations bill allowed certain synthetic

substances in the preparation of organic food.

Most truly sustainable farmers

cannot afford to be certified

organic by the U.S. government.

The original mandate

for pesticide testing

was never implemented.

Pesticide use on

organic crops is not

regularly monitored.

organicUSDA

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The USDA organic program is a marketing tool that sets standards

for what can be certified as organic, but neither the legislation nor

the regulations address food safety or nutrition. So what do we do?

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BUY REAL INGREDIENTS

Organically-grown products have become the solution to eating ethically and

healthfully. But most Americans eat so poorly — we consume more calories from

soft drinks than from vegetables, and one-third of adults are obese — that the

question of organic is secondary. Evidence indicates that a person’s health and the

environment will improve with eating less animal products and highly processed

foods and consuming more real ingredients, increasingly from the plant kingdom.

From these changes, we would reduce the amount of land, water and chemicals

used for food production, as well as lifestyle diseases linked to unhealthy diets and

greenhouse gases from industrial meat production. All without legislation.

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NutritionNutrition FactsServing Size 3 oz. (85g)

Amount Per ServingCalories 38

Total Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0gSodium 0gTotal Carbohydrate 0g

Dietary Fiber 0gSugars 0g

Saturated Fat 0g0%0%0%2%3%8%

Calories from Fat 0As Served

% Daily Value

Recommended Daily Intake

Nutrient Units of Measurement Daily Values

Total Fat grams (g) 65

Saturated Fatty Acids grams(g) 20

Cholesterol milligrams (mg) 300

Sodium milligrams (mg) 2400

Potassium milligrams (mg) 3500

Total Carbohydrate grams (g) 300

Dietary Fiber grams (g) 25

Protein grams (g) 50

Vitamin A International unit (IU) 5000

Vitamin C milligrams (mg) 60

Calcium milligrams (mg) 1000

Iron milligrams (mg) 18

Based on a 2000 calorie diet www.fda.gov

Use the Nutrition Facts label to not only help limit the nutrients you want

to cut back on, but also to increase those nutrients you need to consume in

greater amounts.

1. Review the Serving Size: Pay attention to the serving size, then ask

yourself, “How many servings am I consuming?”

2. Check Calorie Size: Generally, 40 calories per serving is low, 100

calories is moderate and over 400 is high.

3. Limit Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium: Eating too much of these

nutrients may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, like

heart disease, some cancers, or high blood pressure.

4. Feed Your Body Nutrients: Eating enough vitamins, fiber, calcium

and iron can improve your health and help reduce the risk of some

diseases and conditions, such as osteoporosis and heart disease.

Limit these NutrientsGet Enough of these Nu-trients

READ LABELS

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NutritionNutrition FactsServing Size 3 oz. (85g)

Amount Per ServingCalories 38

Total Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0gSodium 0gTotal Carbohydrate 0g

Dietary Fiber 0gSugars 0g

Saturated Fat 0g0%0%0%2%3%8%

Calories from Fat 0As Served

% Daily Value

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Test your soil to ensure it

contains the correct amount

of humus (organic matter).

Support local farming by pur-

chasing manure locally.

Compost feeds plants, helps

conserve water and cuts down

on weeds. The best compost

forms from the right ratio

of nitrogen and carbon-rich

organic waste.

Choose plants that will be

well-adjusted to each spot,

in terms of light, moisture,

drainage and soil quality.

Plant crops in wide beds to

reduce weeding and water

waste and to target compost

and nutrients. Raised beds

also work great!

Prepare the Soil Make Good Compost Choose the Right Plants Plant in Wide Beds

BRING ORGANIC TO YOUR BACKYARD

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Water the roots of the plant.

Use water at room tempera-

tures to avoid shocking the

plant or damaging its roots.

Reduce weeds by applying

mulch to your beds. Organic

mulch is always preferable

to landscape fabric.

A diverse garden fosters

natural predators, such as

frogs, toads, lizards, and

birds, for preventing pests.

The more you harvest, the

more plants will produce.

To store, wait right before

your produce flowers.

Proper Watering Weeding Protect without Pesticides Harvesting

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The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.

Buying fruits and vegetables from local farmers’ markets not only supports

local agriculture, but also saves countless pounds of carbon emissions,

since your food has not been shipped from far away to your supermarket.

Apples

Brocolli

Cabbage

Carrots

Garlic

Lettuce

Onions

Potatoes

Strawberries

Tomatoes

0 miles 100 miles 500 miles 1000 miles 1500 miles 2000 miles

Source: The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

The total distance traveled of local and conventional produce in the United States

SUPPORT LOCAL GROWERS

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For the average consumer, eating one meal away from home each

week translates to roughly 2 extra pounds each year. Maintaining a

healthy diet outside your home is possible, for the average adult,

one meal eaten away from home increases daily intake by about 134

calories. Children consume almost twice as many calories when

eating food prepared outside the home. Over the last two decades,

rates of obesity have tripled in children. So for your sake and your

family — cook more meals at home using real ingredients from local

food sources in your area.

What is the impact of consuming a meal away from

home on an average adult’s daily intake of nutrients?

Perc

enta

ge

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30Servings fruit

per 1000 calories

Servings vegetables per 1000 calories

Servings whole grains

per 1000 calories

Percent Calories from Saturated Fat

Source: United States Department of Agriculture

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

COOK AT HOME

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PUT THE PIECES BACK TOGETHERVisit www.takepart.com to explore the ways you can

get involved in the food movement locally and globally.

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USDAorganic