HOW IS FOOD ALLIANCE CERTIFIED MIDWEST GROWN DIFFERENT FROM USDA ORGANIC?
Food Alliance Midwest systems examine the overall effect of farming operations, not just the use of chemicals. Food Alliance areas not covered by USDA organic certification include: whole farm planning, soil and water conservation philosophy, soil quality indicators, Natural Resource Conservation Service plans, and wildlife habitat. But organic agriculture and sustainable agriculture share many characteristics. Both the USDA organic label and the Food Alliance certification seal represent good choices consumers can make in support of environmentally friendly farming practices. Sustainable agriculture techniques such as cover cropping, pest and disease monitoring, and holistic farm planning offer an incremental approach to pesticide reduction, but do not necessarily mandate pesticide elimination.
