The Market Is Open

Have you seen the market lately? There are some beautiful, tasty and curious products available. We have some funky gourds, deep purple sweet peppers, orange tumeric, spicy cheese, and lavender soaps. Load up on goodness; the market is open!

Food Label Part II

Last week, I gave a brief description about the difference between conventional and organic labels. Today, I want to explain the nuances in certified and non-certified organic labels. The two major organic certifications are USDA Certified Organic and Certified Naturally Grown (CNG). You will notice that we also have a description on our growers page that is “No Chemicals.” Why all the differences? Here is a brief explanation.

When the USDA created the Certified Organic label, it required all growers who use the word “organic” to be certified. Consequently, growers are not allowed to use the word if they are not certified, OR they make less than $5,000 a year in sales. USDA Certified growers must go through a costly and extensive process to become certified and are inspected on a regular basis. All USDA certified products cannot use synthetics in their operation, nor have used synthetics in the past few years (often three years). Also, all USDA certified organic products cannot use GMO ingredients.

Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) was a reaction to USDA certification back in 2002 when growers could no longer use the word organic unless through the USDA. Put succinctly, USDA certification can be very expensive and often fits better with larger scaled operations. CNG has the same regulations as USDA with a few differences. CNG is a peer-reviewed system where farmers inspect other farms. These inspectors are allowed to give advice during the inspection (unlike the USDA). Also, all the information of the farms application and inspections are available to the public on CNG’s website: http://www.cngfarming.org/. CNG is much cheaper for small-scale growers and is based on annual donations from its members.

Finally, non-certified organic growers who gross less than $5,000 can use the word organic, but must maintain the same basic standards as the USDA certification. For other non-certified organic growers, we offer the “No Chemicals” description so that they may provide a more nuanced description of their practices on their grower pages.

Overall, the basic division revolves around the use of synthetics. If a grower uses them in their operation, they cannot describe their produce as organic or “No Chemicals.” Our growers are a diverse group of wonderful people with varying practices. However, they are all open and transparent and welcome communication with their customers.

ALFN’s goal is to equip you to make well-informed decisions that energize and cultivate our local foodshed. As always, we welcome further questions and comments in this pursuit.

Thanks

Kyle Holton
Program & Market Manager