Growing Conditions
Organic:
Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.
Sustainable:
Sustainable agriculture refers to the ability of a farm to produce food indefinitely, without causing irreversible damage to ecosystem health. While air and sunlight are generally available in most geographic locations,
crops also depend on soil nutrients and the availability of water. When farmers grow and harvest crops, they remove some of these nutrients from the soil. Without replenishment, the land would suffer from nutrient depletion and be unusable for further farming. Sustainable agriculture depends on replenishing the soil while minimizing the use of non-renewable resources, such as natural gas (used in converting atmospheric nitrogen into synthetic fertilizer), or mineral ores (e.g., phosphate). Not all sustainable foods are organic — most come from small family farms which may not have the time or resources to get organic certification (it is expensive and time-consuming). A related label is “Fair Trade,” which certifies that farmers in developing countries have received a fair price for products like coffee that are grown in a sustainable way.
Natural:
Natural refers to meat and poultry that contains no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. There is no certification and because a food is called “natural,” it doesn’t mean that farm animals were raised organically.
Locally Grown:
Locally grown refers to crops produced no more than 250 miles from where they’re purchased. The emphasis is on seasonal, fresh produce, meats and dairy products but these crops may have been raised with pesticides.
Hormones and Antibiotics
Antibiotic-Free:
“No antibiotics administered,” “antibiotic free,” and “raised without antibiotics” are general claims that imply that no antibiotics were used in the production of a food product. Use of the term “antibiotic free” is considered “unapprovable” by USDA and may not be used on any meat products. “no antibiotics administered” and “raised without antibiotics” are considered acceptable to use by the USDA. Although the USDA is accountable for proper use of these claims, there is no verification system in place.
Hormone-Free:
“No hormones administered” or “hormone free” are general claims that imply that no hormones were used in the production of a food product. There is currently no standard definition for the term except for meat products. Unless otherwise specified, there is no organization independently certifying this claim. The producer or manufacturer decides whether to use the claim and is not free from its own self-interest.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits the use of hormones in the raising of hogs or poultry in the United States. Therefore all pork and poultry products that carry the “no hormones administered” label only represent the regulations that are already in place for pork and poultry and should not be taken to mean that the manufacturer is doing anything beyond USDA requirements for conventional pork and poultry products. However, the USDA does allow the use of a number of hormones on beef. Beef and that is labeled as “no hormones administered” is considered to be free from any added hormones over the lifetime of the animal and therefore does imply that the manufacturer has gone beyond USDA regulations for conventional meat production.
Animal Welfare
Free Range:
Free range is a method of farming husbandry where the animals are permitted to roam freely instead of being contained in any manner. The principle is to allow the animals as much freedom as possible, to live out their instinctual behaviors in a reasonably natural way, regardless of whether or not they are eventually killed for meat. In practice, there are few regulations imposed on what can be called “free range,” and the term may be used misleadingly to imply that the animal product has been produced more humanely than it actually has been. One of the many benefits of free-range animals is for some rudimentary insect population control in the free-range area. Free range may apply to meat, eggs or dairy farming. In ranching, free-range livestock are permitted to roam without being fenced in, as opposed to fenced-in pastures. In many of the agriculture based economies, free-range livestock are quite common. Some animals like the goat will only thrive on a free-range diet.
Grass-Fed:
The American Grassfed Association (www.americangrassfed.org) defines grass-fed products from ruminants, including cattle, bison, goats, and sheep, as “those food products from animals that have eaten nothing but their mother’s milk and fresh grass or grass-type hay from their birth until harvest.” No grain feeding is allowed. For non-ruminants, such as pigs and chickens, “grass should be a large part of their diets,” according to the American Grassfed Association.
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