What does “Certified Organic” mean?
When a grower or processor is certified organic, a public or private organization verifies that it meets or exceeds defined standards. These standards include the land on which organic food or fibers are grown must be free of prohibited substances for three years prior to certification, farmers and processors must keep detailed records of methods and materials used in growing and producing organic products, all methods and materials are annually inspected by a third party certifier and all farmers and handlers are required to maintain written organic plans detailing their management practices.
‘Organic’ refers to a method of agriculture and food production.Organic agriculture begins with certified organic land, on which prohibited substances cannot have been used for at least 3 years. Organic agriculture also involves regular crop rotation to maintain natural soil health and eliminate the need for toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. This optimizes the health and productivity of soil life, plants, animals and people, all of which are interdpendent. At Walnut Acres we call this interdependence ‘thecircle of life.’ fter all, certified organic foods and beverages contribute to better health and are good for the environment. ‘Organic’ is also a regulated labeling term that means the products are produced in accord with national certification standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Certified organic refers to agricultural products that have been grown and processed according to uniform standards, verified by independent state or private organizations accredited by the USDA. All products sold as “organic” must be certified. Certification includes annual submission of an organic system plan and inspection of farm fields and processing facilities. Inspectors verify that organic practices such as long-term soil management, buffering between organic farms and neighboring conventional farms, and recordkeeping are being followed. Processing inspections include review of the facility’s cleaning and pest control methods, ingredient transportation and storage, and recordkeeping and audit control. Organic foods are minimally processed to maintain the integrity of food without artificial ingredients or preservatives. Certified organic requires the rejection of synthetic agrochemicals, irradiation and genetically engineered foods or ingredients. To find out more about the nat
A. All Bowen Island Botanicals medicinal herbs are independently certified by a third party Certified Organic Association/ Agency or are ethically wildcrafted based on regionally and internationally accepted standards and guidelines.* BIB’s Certified Organic Growers’ audit trail enables us to trace our medicinal herbs back to the specific field and conditions of each field where the medicinal herbs were grown.
