Now more than ever, people at the grocery store are leaning towards products that are labeled "natural" or "organic." While this is not a problem, many consumers don't really know what these terms mean. Both are words that can have different definitions depending on who you ask. Before making decisions about what is the best choice for your wants and needs as a consumer, look into the FDA's regulations on labeling, you might be surprised at what you find.
"Natural" is defined by the FDA as having minimal processing and no additives. This sounds pretty similar to what you think organic is, right? Actually, the term natural (in the case of requirements to put this label on a food product) has nothing to do with how the product was produced. If a product is minimally processed and there are no additives AFTER harvest, it is considered a natural food. A chicken, cow, vegetable, etc can be produced using conventional methods and still be labeled as natural as long as there were no additives and little processing after harvest.
"Organic" on the other hand refers not only to the food you are buying, but the way in which it was produced. In order to be certified organic, a product must have been produced, harvested, and handled in a way that complies with organic farming methods that use recycling and promote biodiversity. However, also know that in order to be considered an "organic" producer or product, only 95% of your production methods or inputs must be organic. There is a 5% margin in which those producers can use "conventional" farming inputs or products.
Also, many people assume that if they are buying organic or natural animal products, those animals were raised outside or in a "natural" environment. This is simply not the case. Certain farmers that label their products natural or organic may choose to raise their animals in a natural setting, but this is not a requirement for labeling. For organic, as long as the animal is fed 95% organic feed stuffs, the product produced by that animal is labeled organic. That says nothing about the way in which the animal spent it's days. In the case of natural, as I stated before, the only qualifications to label a food natural have to do with post-harvest procedures. If you are looking to purchase an animal product from an animal that was raised outside, look for the "free range" label. Even "cage free" leaves a lot of room for interpretation. They can be raised in confinement without cages, so free range is the best bet when looking for that type of product.
Wether or not you are choosing to buy these products, my point here is to understand what exactly the labels on food mean. Often consumers make assumptions about labels, which may or may not be true. But look into these things before you make the choice to spend more of your money on these products. I am not against organic or natural products, I have many of them in my own refrigerator. Just make sure that you are, in fact, getting what you are willing to spend some extra money on. Wether that be natural, organic, free range, or just the best bargain at the grocery store- be an informed consumer.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
An Introduction
This is the first of many blogs I hope to write. A little bit about myself:
I was born and raised on a farm, so naturally, agriculture has been a big part of my life. As I grow older, I realize more and more just how little most people from urban areas know and understand about the industry that has been my life. Everyone eats, heck, for most of us it is a favorite activity! For me, there is nothing better than a nice home-grown steak and a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. Give that a bit to digest, and bring on the apple pie! Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and I could not be more excited... but I digress.
My point is, all of us eat. Even beyond our dinner plates, agriculture and it's many products are a part of everyone's daily lives. With the growing urbanization of America, current generations are getting further and further from the farm. The fact of the matter is, most people have rarely, if ever, been exposed to farming first-hand. With the media and food labeling companies telling people what to eat, when to eat it, why it is good for you, where it came from, why it is better because it came from there, etc... how can we expect the average consumer to assume anything other than what they are being told?
The problem is a major communication gap between the farm and the consumer. So far, little effort has been exerted by the agricultural community to talk to our customers. Biased information is given to people every day by extremist groups and has been for years. Now the agricultural industry is playing catch-up. Somehow, we expect to change everyone's minds about things that they have believed to be true for so long. This is a big task, but it is finally being addressed. Now more than ever, people in agriculture are standing up for what we do and the integrity with which we do it.
With this blog, I hope to bring up some topics that can help more people understand what is going on on our farms. Remember, there are two sides to every story... agriculture needs to be heard.
I was born and raised on a farm, so naturally, agriculture has been a big part of my life. As I grow older, I realize more and more just how little most people from urban areas know and understand about the industry that has been my life. Everyone eats, heck, for most of us it is a favorite activity! For me, there is nothing better than a nice home-grown steak and a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. Give that a bit to digest, and bring on the apple pie! Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and I could not be more excited... but I digress.
My point is, all of us eat. Even beyond our dinner plates, agriculture and it's many products are a part of everyone's daily lives. With the growing urbanization of America, current generations are getting further and further from the farm. The fact of the matter is, most people have rarely, if ever, been exposed to farming first-hand. With the media and food labeling companies telling people what to eat, when to eat it, why it is good for you, where it came from, why it is better because it came from there, etc... how can we expect the average consumer to assume anything other than what they are being told?
The problem is a major communication gap between the farm and the consumer. So far, little effort has been exerted by the agricultural community to talk to our customers. Biased information is given to people every day by extremist groups and has been for years. Now the agricultural industry is playing catch-up. Somehow, we expect to change everyone's minds about things that they have believed to be true for so long. This is a big task, but it is finally being addressed. Now more than ever, people in agriculture are standing up for what we do and the integrity with which we do it.
With this blog, I hope to bring up some topics that can help more people understand what is going on on our farms. Remember, there are two sides to every story... agriculture needs to be heard.
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