What is Organic Food?

Grade Level: 
12

You can find products in your supermarket labeled “organic”. To get this label they have to follow guidelines from the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). NOP defines organic as follows: Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too. Find more information on organic food, visit the United States Department of Agriculture.

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Bibliographic details:

  • Article: What is Organic Food?
  • Author(s): Dr. Biology
  • Publisher: Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Ask A Biologist
  • Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist
  • Date published: May 16, 2017
  • Date accessed: March 6, 2024
  • Link: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/questions/what-organic-food

APA Style

Dr. Biology. (2017, May 16). What is Organic Food?. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved March 6, 2024 from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/questions/what-organic-food

American Psychological Association. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

Chicago Manual of Style

Dr. Biology. "What is Organic Food?". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 16 May, 2017. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/questions/what-organic-food

MLA 2017 Style

Dr. Biology. "What is Organic Food?". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 16 May 2017. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. 6 Mar 2024. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/questions/what-organic-food

Modern Language Association, 7th Ed. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/

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