What does ‘Organic’ actually mean?

It’s Organic September once again, a month-long celebration of all the organic sector does for climate, nature, and health that is run by the Organic Soil Association. All around the country organic producers, retailers and other businesses will be highlighting the many benefits of organic living – but do you know what the label of ‘organic’ actually means, and how it differs from other terms such as ‘natural’ that you may see on foods and other products? You may be surprised to know that ‘natural’ may mean nothing at all, but if you see the term ‘organic’ then that product must meet certain criteria by law. If you see the Organic Soil Association logo on anything, it carries many more guarantees than that the ingredients are just grown in organic soil.

What’s in a label?

In today’s world of misinformation and greenwashing, it helps to be aware of how food labelled as organic really differs from non-organic food. The term ‘natural,’ may be applied anywhere that a food manufacturer wants to put it, so it is not really a guarantee of anything at all. Unlike the ‘natural’ labels that you might see on many food products, organic is a protected term, and is subject to legal regulation. In the UK, for a food or drink product to be labelled as organic, at least 95% of the ingredients must come from organically produced plants or animals.

These ingredients must be approved by an independent certification body such as, in the UK, the Soil Association, Organic Food Federation, Organic Farmers and Growers CIC and the Biodynamic Association. More than 70% of organic food in the UK carries the Soil Association logo.

In Greenlife some of our organic fruit and veg that is grown outside of the UK carries the European Organic Certification logo. Some natural bodycare and household products as well as foods carry Ecocert certification, and some food brands have USDA Organic certification from the US, too. In Europe, organic farmers work to a strict set of standards, which must legally comply with strict EU regulation, to ensure that their farms sustain the health of soils, ecosystems and animals.

Soil Association Organic

The various parameters of the term organic vary from the different certification body’s around the world. In the UK, most organic food is certified by the Soil Association. We think that’s a good thing, as Soil Association certification guarantees all of the following standards:

Stringent Certification – The Soil Association logo is not lightly given; certification is rigorous and standards are maintained through regular inspection. All organic farms and manufacturing companies are inspected at least once a year and some of these inspections can be unannounced.

No Nitrogen-based fertilisers – Emissions from fossil-fuel based nitrogen fertilisers used in intensive farming are contributing to the climate emergency. The Soil Association bans the use of these fertilisers in organic systems. According to the Soil Association, if the whole of Europe switched to an organic or agro-ecological food and farming system, we would see a 40% drop in emissions. Half of this drop would result from a cut in the use of fossil fuel based nitrogen fertilisers!

No routine use of antibiotics – Although organic farmers may use antibiotics to fight infection in livestock as a last resort, using them preventatively, which is common practice in the non-organic dairy and animal farming industries, is not allowed. In contrast, the routine use of antibiotics and worming medication is widespread in non-organic UK agriculture, accounting for around 30% of all antibiotics used in the UK.

Most organic farmers will tell you that when animals are farmed in hygienic environments, fed the right diet and raised in more spacious conditions, they do not need to depend on antibiotics and the need for anti-parasitical medications is reduced. It is also important to note that pastures that are heavily stocked generally have a higher parasite burden than lightly stocked ones.

It is a fascinating fact that given the chance to eat a more varied diet in their environment, livestock will actively seek out and eat plants from hedgerows that have medicinal properties – including anti-parasitical and immune boosting plants. This has been observed on ‘wild farms’ for example, where cows are given the chance to roam and eat a varied diet of plants. Contrary to popular belief, it turns out they don’t eat just grass if given the chance to eat a more varied diet. Reduced use of antibiotics in the food chain may also turn out to be good for us as well as the animals. Many researchers think that the health of our own gut bacteria, or microbiome, is negatively impacted by too many antibiotics in the food we eat.

No GM – Whilst GM, or ‘GMO’ foods are fairly limited in the UK in general (with certain exceptions), it is a simple fact that most non-organic livestock are given GM feed. Organic systems are opposed to genetic modification, so organic standards ban the use of all GM ingredients, and animals on organic farms must be fed a natural, organic and non-GM diet. Organic farmers and processors are required to demonstrate that they are protecting their products completely from contamination with prohibited products, including genetically modified organisms.

No Artificial Colours and Preservatives – This is an area where the term ‘natural’ should never be confused with the term organic. You would think that a ‘natural’ colour would come from a natural or organic source wouldn’t you? Legally this is not required simply because ‘natural’ is not a protected term by law. However, the use of additives and processing aids is heavily restricted in organic products, and organic standards completely prohibit the use of toxic ingredients. Many problematic artificial food colourings and preservatives are banned, such as sodium benzoate, aspartame (artificial sweetener) and monosodium glutamate.
No Hydrogenated Fats – Fat hydrogenation is the process of combining unsaturated fat with hydrogen in order to partially or completely convert it into saturated fat. Typically this is done with liquid vegetable oils resulting in solid or semi-solid fats. Hydrogenated oils and partially hydrogenated oils are used by food manufacturers to keep foods fresher for longer. Partially hydrogenated oil is a type of trans-fat which can raise people’s LDL cholesterol (bad) and reduce levels of HDL cholesterol (good). These artificial trans-fats have also been linked to inflammation. Organic foods must not contain any hydrogenated fats.

Benefits of organic farming practices include:

Healthier Soils – Organic farming creates healthy, living soils by nourishing them with compost, nitrogen-fixing crops, and crop rotations. Long term studies have shown that when comparing organic and conventional farming systems, soils in organic farms store more carbon and have higher levels of soil microorganisms. Organic farmers must build fertile soils naturally. They use compost and manure (often sourced from their own farm or local herds), and rotate their crops to keep soils healthy.

More Wildlife – 41% of Britain’s wildlife species have declined since 1970. Intensive farming practices, especially pesticide use, have been identified as the main driver of this decline. Because organic farmers rely on a whole ecosystem to keep pests under control, where animals like beetles and birds feed on pests such as aphids and slugs, organic farms are naturally more biodiverse and provide homes for bees, birds and butterflies. Organic farms have on average 30% more biodiversity. Because organic farmers rely on healthy ecosystems for pest control and to protect their soils, they tend to farm in a way that encourages wildlife. This often involves planting trees, ‘beetle banks,’ and wildflower margins, and digging ponds around their fields. This means organic farms are more ecologically diverse.

Better Animal Welfare – Organic Soil Association certification ensures better welfare for farm animals. Organic farming has the highest animal welfare standards of any international farming system. Truly-free range animals, encouraged to forage, graze and roam, with plenty of space, fresh air, and conditions that allow them to express their natural behaviours are both happier and healthier.

Nothing comes close to Organic

No other defined system of farming and food production comes close to delivering so many benefits for wildlife, society and the natural world. So unlike the word ‘natural,’ if you see the word ‘organic’ on a label, you know it meets certain natural standards and is good for nature too!

We sell a wide selection of organic produce in Greenlife, including fresh organic fruit and veg, organic wholefoods, organic bodycare, household products and much more, and we will be celebrating Organic September in Greenlife with in store tastings, giveaways and special offers on organic foods throughout the whole month. Join us this month and taste the good life!