Since you asked

Story by Bruce Barker and Lynn Haley

Organic, natural...what's the difference?  What's better?  Who's keeping track of standards?  In this issue of Since you Asked, let's clear the fog.

What does Organic Food Mean?

ORGANIC FOOD CONJURES UP SCENES OF PASTORAL beauty. But what does organic really mean when you see it on a label or buy it from an organic producer at a Farmer’s Market? Is the food better for you? Is it better for the environment? Is it a marketing tool? Maybe the answer is some, none or all of the above.

Generally, we think of organic food as food grown or processed without the use of additives, synthetic pesticides or fertilizer. For the most part, we’re not far off. Here’s the real definition as stated by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: “Organic foods are produced without the use of chemical fertilizers or synthetic pesticides, processed without the use of irradiation, and not derived through genetic engineering.”

“Certified organic food means that food has been grown under a recognized industry standard that can be verified and audited by an independent certification body.The production, processing and transportation processes are also certified and inspected,” explains Mike Dolinski, business development officer, organic products,with Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (AAFRD) in Edmonton, Alberta.“However, organic labels don’t make any representation as to the healthiness of the food.”

Voluntary Standards - Not Really

Currently, Canada has voluntary standards developed by the Canadian General Standards Board (known by many as the Standards Council of Canada) in 1999. (Quebec has mandatory provincial standards.) But let’s explain voluntary.

“What’s voluntary is the producer’s choice of which standards he or she chooses to certify with,” says Dolinski.“Currently,Canadian producers can certify to USDA, European Union or Japanese standards. What isn’t voluntary is the choice to be certified. For any product to be labeled as organic, it must be certified to a recognized standard by an accredited, certified auditor.”

To be accredited, an auditor must be assessed by the USDA or the Standards Council of Canada. Once accredited, independent auditors (much like tax auditors or certified accountants) have the ability to certify that an organic product meets the requirements of legislated standards. When a product meets those standards, it is given a certified organic label by the auditor.

Organic producers must adhere to the standards for a minimum of three years before they can be certified. A special transitional category exists for farmers who are working on their certification process.

Canadian Standards in the Works

Why can’t Canadian producers certify to Canadian standards? That’s because, today, Canada doesn’t have a uniform, mandatory standard that’s legislated. It’s in the works, but we’re not quite there yet.Why is that?

According to Dolinski, it’s because the industry is still fairly new in Canada.“It takes time to build consensus on uniform standards and then even more time to walk those standards through the entire legislative process,” he says.“ However, the Canadian industry is quickly moving in this direction so it can be competitive on an international basis, establish a Canadian organic brand and maintain a uniquely Canadian standard across the industry.”

John Day, past president of the Alberta Organic Association and owner of Nature’s Nutraceuticals Inc., located in Brooks, Alberta, says that most organic certification in Alberta is currently based on the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program.

“There are four or five certified organic auditors in Alberta and they use the USDA National Organic Program as the basis for certification,” explains Day.“Sometimes, producers will request certification to European Union or Japanese standards if they are exporting to those markets.”

Within the standards used for certification, there is a long list of practices that must be followed and an equally long list of prohibited substances and practices that would disqualify products. For example, certified organics cannot be grown from genetically modified (GMO) seed stock. Processed foods generally require at least 95 per cent of the ingredients from certified organic sources and they cannot use irradiation.

“Organic foods are produced without the use of chemical fertilizers or synthetic pesticides, processed without the use of irradiation and not derived through genetic engineering.”

Day says that the Alberta Organic Association is developing a logo that members will be able to use to identify the product as an Alberta-certified organic product. In the meantime, Day says that what consumers should look for is a certified organic stamp on the food label. The most common stamps seen in Alberta come from these auditors – Quality Assurance International (QAI) and Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) – although there are others.

Consumers are in the Driver's Seat

Consumers really hold the power when it comes to organic standards. “When you see organic food, it needs to have an organic certificate to prove that it was grown under organic standards,” says Day. “I’ve seen people at farmer’s markets selling organic food without certificates. It’s within a consumer’s rights to ask to see the certificate.” Dolinksi agrees.He says that the consumer’s buying power is the ultimate driver of standards in the industry.“If consumers only buy certified product, then there’s no room for misrepresentation.”

Natural or Organic

Here’s a common myth to shatter: natural and organic are not the same. In the U.S., natural is a term often applied to some kinds of meat production like free range and grain fed. But even that’s a misnomer, because many conventionally raised livestock are grain fed and pastured on an open range. In reality, the term natural is not defined by any legislation in the U.S. or Canada. In fact, it is usually used as a marketing term that implies use of minimal additives or preservatives during food processing. So, buyer beware. If you purchase a natural product, you can’t be assured it is organic in nature (pardon the pun). On the other hand, if the food product is certified organic, then you know it was grown and processed under legislated standards.

Who Enforces the Organic Label?

When it comes to false claims, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has the authority to enforce action under the Food and Drug Act or the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act. So consumers have recourse if someone is marketing an organic product without a certificate of organic production.

“There’s been a bit of a sloppy system of regulating organics in the past but that is changing now that the U.S. and the European Union have mandatory programs,” explains Dolinski.He says that as the new Canadian Organic Standards are developed, he wouldn’t be surprised to see nationwide mandatory standards similar to the U.S. where growers misrepresenting organics are subject to fines up to $10,000.

ARE ORGANICS HEALTHIER? There is no scientific evidence to support the notion that organics are healthier than nonorganics. The issue of healthy is in the eye of the beholder.Many consumers believe organics are better for them and retailers who follow the golden marketing rule know that the consumer is always right.

“People often buy organics because they have allergies or health problems. They want to change their lifestyles and they believe eating organics is part of the equation,” says Dolinski.“Consumers make their own interpretation of food quality and decide whether it is warranted to pay a premium for organics.”And organics often come at a premium price. That’s simply a matter of supply, demand and the cost of production.

Some people buy organics specifically to reduce their risk of pesticide exposure.Recent data suggests that foods grown organically do, in fact, have reduced levels of pesticides; however, the research cannot be substantiated at this time. On the other hand, non-organic food produced in Canada is subject to rigid controls by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada to ensure that consumers are buying safe, quality food tested thoroughly to meet strict health and safety standards.

Canada's Organic Market is Growing

Current economic data seems to indicate that growing numbers of consumers are making the organic choice.While the organic food market is still only about 1.5 % ($1.4 billion annually) of the total Canadian food market, it’s growing at a sustained rate of 20 % a year.

Canada is among the top five world producers of organic grains and oilseeds. In Alberta, there are 300 certified organic and transitional farmers and 12 processors.

So what does it all boil down to? The choice is yours.At the end of the day, eating a balanced diet by following Canada’s Food Guide using organic or non-organic products is your best assurance of balance and health. Just remember, if you buy organic, buy certified to ensure you’re getting the real thing.

Like to Learn More? Check out these Web addresses:

Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Canadian Organic Growers

United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Program

Organic Agriculture Centre for Canada

Canadian Food Inspection Agency