What is organic?
To clarify recent discussion over the meaning of the label “organic” The GB Weekly is pleased to publish the following.
What is organic?
There seems to be a misconception that organic can be defined as spray-free. This is an incomplete definition and focuses on what isn’t in the food rather than what is.
Growers of Certified Organic produce are required to meet many other criteria in addition to the absence of harmful chemicals in the food they grow. They must prove to their certifier that they are nurturing the soil. They must prove that land on which they are growing is not polluted by previous land-use and pay for chemical residue tests. And they must comply with sustainable philosophies regarding land and water use.
‘Spray-free’ is a misnomer. Certified Organic growers don’t claim to be ‘spray-free’ since there are some sprays which are permitted by certified organic standards.
When our Trust started the local organic shop we were flooded with offers of ‘organic’ produce. It turned out there were as many different definitions of ‘organic’ as there were growers. Some growers were ignoring the harmful effects of non-organic activities elsewhere on their property or from neighbouring properties. Others were inadvertently introducing contaminants and harmful residues in manures and mulches. So in the interests of the shop’s reputation and customers’ peace of mind GB Organics introduced stricter criteria requiring that suppliers were either Certified Organic or they went through a local organic verification programme which sets out organic standards and is independently audited.
All food sold in New Zealand is regulated under the Fair Trading Act 1986. This requires that representations about food must be truthful and not misleading. The NZ Food Safety Authority says: ‘Although the word ‘organic’ can be applied to a number of contexts, the application of an organic label to a food product implies the product has been produced in conformance with the philosophical principles of organic agricultural production. Organic certification provides some assurance to retailers and manufacturers that an organic claim complies with the provisions of the Fair Trading Act.’
For those concerned about organic integrity there are four certifiers of domestic food: BioGro, Demeter, Organic Farm NZ and AsureQuality.
Susan Snelgrove on behalf of
Golden Bay Organic Employment and Education Trust
