One of the hottest topics in produce is organic versus conventional. However, there are a lot of other marketing food labels for growing practices that are being used on produce food labeling (e.g., natural, sustainable, etc.) that have not yet been defined for the consumer. The question is: does everyone know what it is that they are buying? In order to put this conversation into perspective, I have included the definitions of some of the current marketing labels for growing practices (sourced from the FDA and USDA), in order to start a conversation and allow you to make your own decisions regarding which type of produce/food you would like to support.
Table of Contents
Conventional Growing Practices
What does it mean when a crop is grown conventionally?
Common characteristics of conventional farming include:
- Large-scale crops
- Use of seeds that have been genetically altered using traditional breeding practices (not genetically modified/engineered and not certified organic)
- Crops are grown continuously each season (without a crop rotation)
- High yielding crops
- Pesticides and fertilizers are used
- High labor inputs
Organic Food Labeling
What are the requirements for crops to be certified as organic?
In order to be certified as organic, producers must follow the following rules:
- Use only the allowed products that are listed on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. Organic regulations are defined as only allowing nonsynthetic products. However, there are specific synthetic products that are allowed and specific nonsynthetic products that are prohibited that are included in the list.
- The following cannot be used:
- Synthetic fertilizers (man-made, typically marketed as N-P-K percentages when sold at the store)
- Sewage sludge (untreated solids separated from municipal wastewater)
- National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (rays that are emitted to control insect issues with imported tropical fruits, inhibit sprouting in potatoes and delay fruit ripening)
- Genetically modified/engineered seeds
- Follow the USDA National Organic Program rules and be certified by an auditing agent. There is an exemption for if a grower sells less than $5,000 per year, they don’t have to apply for the USDA certified organic seal or be audited and certified, but the products cannot be labelled as “organic” when included in processed goods ingredients lists.
- There are multiple additional rules, including that there must be a three year transition period between conventional and organically certified ground, and that growers need to take preventive measures to prevent any genetically modified/engineered crops growing nearby from coming into contact with the organic crops.
Different Organic Labels and Their Requirements
In order to use organic labels and the USDA organic seal on the packaging, the product must meet the following requirements:
| Label | Label Requirements | USDA Organic Seal Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| 100% Organic | Must contain 100% organic ingredients | X |
| Organic | Must contain ≥ 95% of organic ingredients | X |
| Made with Organic... | Must contain ≥ 70% of organic ingredients | |
| Ingredient Listings | All organic ingredients need to be annotated in the ingredient listing |
The ingredients refer to what is included in the overall product (note: water and salt are neutral). For example, for a piece of unaltered fruit that was grown and certified organic, it would fall under the “100% Organic” label (most use the “Organic” label). For the other listings, that is where there is more than one ingredient combined. In terms of produce, think of salsa, guacamole, trail mix, etc., where there are multiple products combined and not all of the ingredients were grown organically.
Some labeling examples are shown below:
Sustainable Food Labeling
What does sustainable mean?
Sustainable refers to the use of nonrenewable and on-farm resources as efficiently as possible, while enhancing the environmental quality and natural resources for agricultural production, and producing enough food to satisfy the need. Examples include maintaining soil productivity (preventing erosion), protecting the water source (preventing chemicals leaching into the groundwater), etc.
Requirements for using the Sustainable Label
While the “sustainable” label has been used as a marketing tool by produce companies, there are no actual government rules or regulations required for them to achieve this label. However, there are some buyers who will require certain audits to determine if their growers are growing “sustainably.”
Natural Food Labeling
What are the requirements for labeling a product as “natural”?
The FDA has yet to determine a formal definition for what “natural” means in produce. The FDA does allow the “natural” label for food that does not have any added artificial ingredients (e.g., colors, flavors or synthetic substances). For fresh whole produce items, they could all be labelled as “natural.” However, an example of a produce item that does not align with the “natural” definition is dried fruit that has artificial coloring.
This limited definition does not address whether or not pesticides were used during the growing process, any processing activities that took place after harvest (e.g., avocados to guacamole or fruit chopped up into a fruit salad), or whether any genetically modified/engineered plants are included in the “natural” definition.
Some labeling examples are shown below:
Genetically Modified/Engineered Food Labeling
What does it mean when a crop is genetically modified?
Genetically modified (also referred to as genetically engineered) is when breeders use biotechnology to enhance the plant by giving it a desired trait. This can include making a piece of produce less susceptible to browning (e.g. Arctic Apples), altering the color or size of the produce, increasing insect resistance or drought tolerance, etc. This is commonly marketed as “GMO,” short for genetically modified organism.
Traditional Breeding versus Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Before the “genetically modified/engineered” process was developed, breeders used traditional breeding methods to introduce new traits into the plants they already had, by cross-pollinating plants until they bred a plant with the desired traits. Now, with the use of biotechnology, they are able to isolate the desired traits to incorporate into the plants instead of having to take all of the traits in traditional breeding. The use of biotechnology is meant to increase the efficiency of the traditional breeding process (which has been in effect for thousands of years), while preserving plant nutrient content and making the plant work more in harmony with the environment.
Are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) required to meet the same food safety requirements as non-genetically modified organisms?
Yes, all genetically modified/engineered plants need to meet the same food safety requirements as all other produce.
How are new genetically modified organisms (GMOs) regulated?
The FDA has a voluntary program to evaluate new genetically modified/engineered plants. They work with plant developers to determine if the genetically modified/engineered plant has the same/similar nutritional value as the other, if there are any new risks/toxins/allergens that are introduced in the new plant, etc.
The FDA maintains a database that includes information related to all voluntary consultations. The database is updated to reflect recent genetically modified/engineers plants that have been added.
If you are interested in doing further research on these labels for growing practices, I encourage you to take a look at the FDA and USDA references listed below.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
- The Wax on Your Produce: Common Fruits & Vegetables that Receive a Produce Wax Application
- Why Are Mangoes Hot Water Treated?
- Why is Sulfur Dioxide Applied to Grapes?
Resources:
Conventional
Gold, Mary. “Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Terms: Special Reference Briefs Series no. SRB 99-02.” United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library. National Agricultural Library. Aug 2007. Web. 15 June 2016.
Organic
Can Gmos Be Used In Organic Products? National Organic Program Agricultural Marketing Service, 2013. Web. 15 June 2016.
Sustainable
Gold, Mary. “Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Terms: Special Reference Briefs Series no. SRB 99-02.” United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library. National Agricultural Library. Aug 2007. Web. 15 June 2016.
Natural
“Natural” on Food Labeling: The FDA requests comments on use of the term “natural” on food labeling.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. May 2016. Web. 15 June 2016.
Genetically Modified/Engineered
“Consumer Info About Food from Genetically Engineered Plants.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Oct 2015. Web. 15 June 2016.