Yet, there was perhaps a good reason for the research team to do the analysis focused around nutrition, for a surprising number of people are clearly confused about what “organic” means. As both this article from The Atlantic and an interview with food advocate and author Michael Pollan point out, studies have shown that at least half the population erroneously assumes that eating organic food means one is ingesting more nutrients. For a large segment of the population, the true benefits of organic food have been lost in the information clutter that prevails in modern culture.
Personally, I was glad that that the Stanford study thrust the topic of organic food into the public discourse once again, and grateful that so many fans of organic were able to recount the value of growing food in a manner that promotes ecological balance and shuns genetic engineering.
How does this relate to your shopping habits? First, if you buy food at a local farmers’ market, one enormous advantage is that the person who grew, raised, or prepared the product is usually standing right in front of you, and you can ask him or her questions about production practices. No distribution chain stands in your way of finding out what you want to know. Second, buying from a local source (organic or not) likely means you do get better nutritional value, since the products are fresher. But, I’ll save the “organic” vs. “local” debate for another time.
Many visitors to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market like to know how the food is produced, asking questions about organic vs. natural vs. low-spray. I encourage you to do the same, and seek out the type of food that fits your values. Regardless of any formal certification process they may follow, producers at the farmers’ market use their own products at home and are mindful of fertilizers and pest-control methods they introduce.
If you’d like more information about the agricultural and food terms you might hear at the market (or a grocery store), below are a couple of resources to review. More than just looking for signs and symbols, though, I encourage you to talk directly with the vendors from whom you purchase your food.
Resources for More Information:
USDA National Organic Program – This page includes descriptions of terms including USDA Organic, free-range, cage-free, natural, grass-fed, pasture-raised, humane, and no added hormones. You might be surprised to learn that a word like “natural” is virtually meaningless for many of the food items to which it is applied. Some of the farms at Saratoga Farmers’ Market are certified USDA Organic.
Certified Naturally Grown – CNG is a non-profit organization that offers certification for “small-scale, direct-market farmers and beekeepers using natural methods.” Some of the farms at Saratoga Farmers’ Market are Certified Naturally Grown.
