USDA Organic Certification

As we visited different farm stands, we discovered that many of them have USDA Organic Certification. So what is USDA Organic Certification and how does USDA define organic?

On the USDA Organic Certification web page, it lists out the four area that involve organic certification: 1)Organic Information for Producers, Handlers, Processors, and Retailers;

2)Standard Organic Labeling for Consumers;3)Organic Farming Production and Marketing;

4)Export and Import of Organic Products.

For the farmer's markets we visited, the organic farming production and marketing is particular important for those farmers. According to the website, organic farming "rely on ecologically based practices such as cultural and biological pest management, exclusion of all synthetic chemicals, antibiotics, and hormones in crop and livestock production." Also, USDA points out that many US producers turn to certified organic farming as a way to "lower costs, decrease reliance on nonrenewable resources, capture high-value markets and premium prices, and boost farm income." Thus, organic farming is beneficial not only to the environment but also to the agricultural business.

___________________________________________________________
reference:
USDA Agriculture - Organic Certification
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?navid=ORGANIC_CERTIFICATIO&navtype=RT&parentnav=AGRICULTURE