What exactly does "certified organic" mean?

February 11, 2002 4:38 PM

What exactly does "certified organic" mean? The Consumer's Union has whipped up this good (if incomplete) idea of a resource for people to find out exactly what those so-called "eco-labels" mean. I had heard "free-range" means almost nothing, but didn't find info here on that. But I did learn a few things about how some labels are skewed by industry. Potentially a great site if they ever get around to populating their database and lose the dumb flash stuff.
posted by brookish (4 comments total)

Last year, Rebecca linked to a very interesting NY Times Magazine article about the behind-the-scenes wranglings involved in the creation of some of these labeling standards.
posted by jjg at 7:32 PM on February 11, 2002

To me it means: Grown in Shit.
Mmmmmmm...
posted by HTuttle at 9:48 PM on February 11, 2002

'grown in healthy soil' is probably a pretty good definition. the soil association has the last word in defining the organic standard in the uk. i believe that their standards are the most stringent in the world, and are continually needing updating.
'Soil fertility: The focus is on crop rotations and the use of animal manures and compost to maintain natural soil fertility, without the use of artificial/synthetic fertilisers.'
posted by asok at 2:23 AM on February 12, 2002

Does this help?

of, relating to, yielding, or involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides
posted by walrus at 4:57 AM on February 12, 2002