In January 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finalized a new rule that requires certified organic farms to follow baseline standards for the treatment of food animals. Now the new administration at the USDA has delayed making it effective and is considering withdrawing the rule entirely. Among many new protections, the rule will […]
The seal was developed by Organic Valley for use on foods sold and marketed under the Organic Valley and Organic Prairie brands, which are certified organic and also display the USDA Organic seal. The seal conveys to consumers that the organic standards prohibit genetically modified crops and ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms. (Organic standards […]
Meaningful What this seal means: The seal means that the farm meets the Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) standards, which are based on the USDA organic standards for crops and livestock. These standards promote a sustainable system of agriculture, requiring responsible soil management and prohibiting the use of synthetic fertilizers, most synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, and artificial […]
How To Tell Whether Grocery Produce Is Organic Locating the word “organic” or the USDA Organic seal on a label of packaged food is simple: The word “organic” will be printed on the front, and the green-and-white seal can be seen easily. But what about those fresh fruits and vegetables that don’t come in a […]
What does this label mean, and is it verified? Hormones can be administered to artificially increase the rate of weight gain in cows and sheep, to induce estrus (heat) in pigs, and to precipitate labor and induce milk production after cows, sheep, and pigs give birth. As with any drug, the use of added hormones […]
The UEP Certified guidelines allow continuous confinement in crowded cages in dimly lit buildings without natural light and fresh air. Hens only have to be given enough space to stand upright, with a minimum space requirement of 8 by 8 inches for white laying hens kept in a cage. Producers keeping their hens in cages […]
Highly Meaningful The Demeter Biodynamic label is highly meaningful and verified. It means that the food was grown and processed in accordance with the Demeter Biodynamic standards, which promote ecologically sustainable farming practices and prohibit synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics (except to treat sick animals), genetically engineered seeds, sewage sludge as a fertilizer, artificial ingredients, […]
Verified, but inconsistent in meaning The USDA Process Verified shield means that one or more of the claims made on the label have been verified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Both the claim and the standard behind the claim can be written by the company; the USDA only verifies whether the standard has been […]
What does this label mean, and is it verified? Variations: “No rBGH administered,” “No rBST administered”The labeling claim means that dairy cows were not injected with a genetically engineered growth hormone that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1993 for use in dairy cows. The labeling claim is not verified, unless it […]
This claim is not meaningful. Even though it is verified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture when found on a label of Shady Brook Farms or Honeysuckle White turkey, the claim is not meaningful because pharmaceutical companies are no longer selling medically important antibiotics specifically for the purpose of promoting growth in food animals. The […]