As more people continue to consume organic foods, the industry has expanded to reach $50 billion in sales. This number accounts for 5.8% of total U.S. food sales in 2019, proving to be a small slice of the pie, but there are some issues within the industry that everyone might not agree with.
The Organic Seal
One of the issues with the organic industry in the U.S. is the organic seal itself. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees the National Organic Program (NOP), which enforces organic regulations. Some people may not be aware, but there are currently four levels of labeling:
1) 100% Organic: All the ingredients are certified organic and the USDA organic seal or the 100% organic claim may be presented.
2) Organic: At least 95% of the ingredients are certified organic and the USDA organic
seal or organic claim may be presented.
3) Made with organic ingredients: At least 70% of ingredients are certified organic but
the USDA organic seal cannot be displayed, and the product cannot be called organic.
Up to three ingredients or ingredient groups can be called organic.
4) Specific organic ingredients: Less than 70% of ingredients are certified organic and
cannot use the USDA organic seal or have the word “organic” on its main packaging.
Producers can only label the organic ingredients and the percentage.
This tiered labeling system is useful to determine the amount of certified organic ingredients in a product, but can catch those who weren’t aware of these different grades off-guard. Depending on the consumer, some may see that organic products are not truly “organic” because the USDA allows some pesticides to be used and that does not align with their view of “organic”. Certified organic in the U.S. does not necessarily mean that a farmer cannot use USDA approved substances on their fields. For this reason, there are some people who might not agree with the USDA. Therefore, it’s important for consumers to research about what they are eating because the best source of regulation is yourself.
Growing Without Soil
Traditionally, crops have been grown in soil but new methods of growing—such as aquaponics and hydroponics—are emerging and can also be certified organic. This is a controversial issue as some people believe that produce that have not been grown in soil should not be called organic due to its soilless condition. Soil is essential to organic farming because of its contribution to a sustainable system and healthy soil can lead to healthy plants. At the same time, advocates for such a hydroponic approach state that farming like that helps to provide affordable organic food because it increases the supply and can contribute to healthy market competition. In urban areas where open land with healthy soil is not abundant, the manner of growing without soil is beneficial to feeding the community. This is especially true in densely populated areas.
What It Means To Be “Organic“
Whether a product is really “organic” depends on your view of organic. Some people might say that farmers using synthetic pesticides—although some is allowed by the USDA—automatically excludes them from consideration while others believe it is all right. Likewise, the decision to be certified organic without the need to be grown in soil is still an ongoing debate and is challenged by a number of people who believe that organic cannot be “organic” without soil. Not everyone is going to agree on every single issue, but consumers should be able to trust in our organic system and believe that what they are eating is truly organic, at least according to the USDA. However, the definition of “organic” may vary from person to person.