Organic Means GMO Free
Many Americans in today’s society have GMOs in their every day diets. Many Americans don’t even know they’re purchasing foods that contain GMOs when they are shopping at their local grocery stores. The Americans that choose to avoid foods that contain GMOs need to be able to identify the difference between foods that contain GMOs, and foods that are GMO free. They will need to be able to know that just because there are certain foods that claim they’re natural, that still have the ability to use GMOs. The only way you can know for sure if any food is 100% GMO free, is to see if it has the USDA Organic label (Can GMOS be Used in Organic Products, 2013).
There are many requirements that need to be met before any food can have this label on it. There is a lot of work that is required from farmers in order for them to say their crops are organic. There are many steps involved in order for foods to be considered USDA organic, starting from the farm, all the way to the store. USDA organic foods are grown and processed with several guidelines that are addressed by federal law. Soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives are the factors that determine if a product can be considered organic. I’m going to focus on what an organic farmer needs to do to control GMOS from ever reaching their crops, to give you a greater understanding on how USDA organic foods might be the only way to avoid GMOs in your diet. This is not by any means a persuasive essay to get you scared about GMOs, I just think people need to know what farmers really need to do to make their crops 100% GMO free.
“Today there are more than 10,000 certified organic farmers who produce 2 percent of the U.S. food supply,” (How Organic Farming Works, 2007). In order for organic farmers to sell over 5,00 dollars worth of crops a year, they need to get certified (History of Organic Farming in the United States, 2012). This means that their products have been grown and processed by the uniform standards accredited by the USDA. When farmers get certified, they will be expected to make organic system plans, inspections on their farm lands, and processing facilities. One of the things that the inspectors look at is the factor of coexistence between the organic crops and GMO crops from a nearby GMO farm. Some of the variables for unwanted mixing of GMO and organic crops are field sizes, prevailing winds, and the crops themselves (Organic FAQs, 2013).
When small organic farms are located right next to large fields that contain GMO crops, it is very easy to get unwanted pollen flow (Coexistence Possible, 2014). For this reason organic farmers will only get certified if they have at least a 25-foot buffer zone separating their organic land from cultivated agricultural land. If there is another farm that uses a prohibited material adjacent to their organic farm, they will be asked to make their buffer zones 50 feet. This extra buffer zone space insures that drift, run off, or other farming practices don’t jeopardize their certification for their organic crops. The crops that are grown in the buffer zones cannot be sold as organic. These crops must be sold as conventional, and all the equipment that was used to harvest these crops, must be cleaned before harvesting the organic crops. Another thing a farmer has to keep in mind is the use of organic seeds.
A farmer must use non-GMO seeds if they are commercially available. The farmer must contact at least three seed companies that carry organic seeds. These three seed sources must produce or supply the seeds desired. The farmer must record information of all three sources incase the certifying agent needs to contact them.
For a farmer to be certified, he or she needs a land that had no prohibited substances applied to it for at least 3 years before they can harvest organic crops (Vegetable Resources). The farmer also needs to organize and write up an organic farm plan. The organic farm plan is basically the application for certification, and requires information about the farm. Some of the information that is required in the organic farm plan includes farm maps, document of last three years of farm history, and all other relevant aspects of the operation. The plan is then sent to the certification agency, along with other fees and documents, to be reviewed.
Once the certifying agent decides that the applicant appears to comply and has completed all the paperwork, the agent then arranges an on site inspection. The certifying agent has to assign an organic inspector to arrange an inspection. The inspection can take 3-6 hours, depending on how complex the farm is. After the inspection, there is always an exit interview. This interview confirms accuracy and completeness of the observations and information that was gathered. The inspector doesn't make the certification decision at the inspection, but sends the paperwork to the certifying agency.
The certifying agent assigns a certification committee to review the Organic farm plan, inspection report and all other paperwork. If the committee likes what they see, they will grant the farmer a certificate for running an organic operation. This certificate needs to be updated each year and requires some paperwork from the farmer. To maintain certification, a farmer needs to pay annual fees, submit an updated organic farm plan, and update correction of any issues from the last inspection. The farm needs to be inspected and reviewed from the certifying agent every year for a farm to continually be organically certified.
Record keeping is also very important in an organic farmer’s certification. A certified operation must have records that document the production, harvest, and the handling of agricultural products that are intended to be sold, labeled or represented as organic (Hamilton, 2000). Some of the records that are needed are storage, cleanout, transportation and all the processes and facilities in the production. The farmer’s records must have all activities and transactions in great detail for his or her organic operation (Chait, 2014). The inspector must also see the farmer’s records for harvest, storage, and sales for both organic and conventional crops. The records must show that all equipment was cleaned between uses in organic and inorganic fields. There also needs to be records of the cleaning of transportation vehicles. The date of the cleanout, previous products transported, how they cleaned the vehicle, and information of the driver. All the records recorded by the farmer need to be maintained for at least five years, so that the certifying agency can look over them at anytime( Hamilton, 2000).
Organic farmers need to keep their records very organized, so many of them use something called field activity logs. This is where all the farm activity information is actually kept. The field activity logs should include field prep work, planting information, post planting fieldwork, and harvest dates for every field in the organic operation. Another log that an organic farmer might need to have is a storage log. A storage log is only necessary if the crops are stored in the farm prior to sale. The information needed in a storage log includes crop, amount, and date added and removed from bins. If the bins were used for nonorganic storage, the storage logs must indicate how and when the bins were cleaned.
Another form of documentation that organic farmers need to have is for their sales. This document needs to include scale tickets, bills of lading, clean transport documentation, and invoices for sales. Also there needs to be a lot number for the products sold. A lot number is used to track down any crop back to its originating farm field (What is a Lot Number,2013).
Organic farmers need to be very organized with their paperwork, and be able to successfully follow their organic farm plan. They need to be aware of other conventional farms nearby for cross pollen, and need to be aware of the seeds they are purchasing. They need to comply with all the rules from the certification agency to be satisfied at the inspections, and need to fix mistakes immediately if they have them. They must make sure they pay all their annual fees, and update their organic plan every year. They need to keep good record keeping and keep all their equipment very clean. These are tasks that organic farmers have to do in order to have their crops considered USDA organic. Keep in mind that the USDA monitors the process on which crops are grown, but there is always a slim chance that GMOs got into your product from natural ways of contamination (Is Organic Always GMO Free). Now, the next time you go into a grocery store, you will know what that little green organic label actually means.
By: Brock Pierdzioch
Last updated: May 16, 2014
There are many requirements that need to be met before any food can have this label on it. There is a lot of work that is required from farmers in order for them to say their crops are organic. There are many steps involved in order for foods to be considered USDA organic, starting from the farm, all the way to the store. USDA organic foods are grown and processed with several guidelines that are addressed by federal law. Soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives are the factors that determine if a product can be considered organic. I’m going to focus on what an organic farmer needs to do to control GMOS from ever reaching their crops, to give you a greater understanding on how USDA organic foods might be the only way to avoid GMOs in your diet. This is not by any means a persuasive essay to get you scared about GMOs, I just think people need to know what farmers really need to do to make their crops 100% GMO free.
“Today there are more than 10,000 certified organic farmers who produce 2 percent of the U.S. food supply,” (How Organic Farming Works, 2007). In order for organic farmers to sell over 5,00 dollars worth of crops a year, they need to get certified (History of Organic Farming in the United States, 2012). This means that their products have been grown and processed by the uniform standards accredited by the USDA. When farmers get certified, they will be expected to make organic system plans, inspections on their farm lands, and processing facilities. One of the things that the inspectors look at is the factor of coexistence between the organic crops and GMO crops from a nearby GMO farm. Some of the variables for unwanted mixing of GMO and organic crops are field sizes, prevailing winds, and the crops themselves (Organic FAQs, 2013).
When small organic farms are located right next to large fields that contain GMO crops, it is very easy to get unwanted pollen flow (Coexistence Possible, 2014). For this reason organic farmers will only get certified if they have at least a 25-foot buffer zone separating their organic land from cultivated agricultural land. If there is another farm that uses a prohibited material adjacent to their organic farm, they will be asked to make their buffer zones 50 feet. This extra buffer zone space insures that drift, run off, or other farming practices don’t jeopardize their certification for their organic crops. The crops that are grown in the buffer zones cannot be sold as organic. These crops must be sold as conventional, and all the equipment that was used to harvest these crops, must be cleaned before harvesting the organic crops. Another thing a farmer has to keep in mind is the use of organic seeds.
A farmer must use non-GMO seeds if they are commercially available. The farmer must contact at least three seed companies that carry organic seeds. These three seed sources must produce or supply the seeds desired. The farmer must record information of all three sources incase the certifying agent needs to contact them.
For a farmer to be certified, he or she needs a land that had no prohibited substances applied to it for at least 3 years before they can harvest organic crops (Vegetable Resources). The farmer also needs to organize and write up an organic farm plan. The organic farm plan is basically the application for certification, and requires information about the farm. Some of the information that is required in the organic farm plan includes farm maps, document of last three years of farm history, and all other relevant aspects of the operation. The plan is then sent to the certification agency, along with other fees and documents, to be reviewed.
Once the certifying agent decides that the applicant appears to comply and has completed all the paperwork, the agent then arranges an on site inspection. The certifying agent has to assign an organic inspector to arrange an inspection. The inspection can take 3-6 hours, depending on how complex the farm is. After the inspection, there is always an exit interview. This interview confirms accuracy and completeness of the observations and information that was gathered. The inspector doesn't make the certification decision at the inspection, but sends the paperwork to the certifying agency.
The certifying agent assigns a certification committee to review the Organic farm plan, inspection report and all other paperwork. If the committee likes what they see, they will grant the farmer a certificate for running an organic operation. This certificate needs to be updated each year and requires some paperwork from the farmer. To maintain certification, a farmer needs to pay annual fees, submit an updated organic farm plan, and update correction of any issues from the last inspection. The farm needs to be inspected and reviewed from the certifying agent every year for a farm to continually be organically certified.
Record keeping is also very important in an organic farmer’s certification. A certified operation must have records that document the production, harvest, and the handling of agricultural products that are intended to be sold, labeled or represented as organic (Hamilton, 2000). Some of the records that are needed are storage, cleanout, transportation and all the processes and facilities in the production. The farmer’s records must have all activities and transactions in great detail for his or her organic operation (Chait, 2014). The inspector must also see the farmer’s records for harvest, storage, and sales for both organic and conventional crops. The records must show that all equipment was cleaned between uses in organic and inorganic fields. There also needs to be records of the cleaning of transportation vehicles. The date of the cleanout, previous products transported, how they cleaned the vehicle, and information of the driver. All the records recorded by the farmer need to be maintained for at least five years, so that the certifying agency can look over them at anytime( Hamilton, 2000).
Organic farmers need to keep their records very organized, so many of them use something called field activity logs. This is where all the farm activity information is actually kept. The field activity logs should include field prep work, planting information, post planting fieldwork, and harvest dates for every field in the organic operation. Another log that an organic farmer might need to have is a storage log. A storage log is only necessary if the crops are stored in the farm prior to sale. The information needed in a storage log includes crop, amount, and date added and removed from bins. If the bins were used for nonorganic storage, the storage logs must indicate how and when the bins were cleaned.
Another form of documentation that organic farmers need to have is for their sales. This document needs to include scale tickets, bills of lading, clean transport documentation, and invoices for sales. Also there needs to be a lot number for the products sold. A lot number is used to track down any crop back to its originating farm field (What is a Lot Number,2013).
Organic farmers need to be very organized with their paperwork, and be able to successfully follow their organic farm plan. They need to be aware of other conventional farms nearby for cross pollen, and need to be aware of the seeds they are purchasing. They need to comply with all the rules from the certification agency to be satisfied at the inspections, and need to fix mistakes immediately if they have them. They must make sure they pay all their annual fees, and update their organic plan every year. They need to keep good record keeping and keep all their equipment very clean. These are tasks that organic farmers have to do in order to have their crops considered USDA organic. Keep in mind that the USDA monitors the process on which crops are grown, but there is always a slim chance that GMOs got into your product from natural ways of contamination (Is Organic Always GMO Free). Now, the next time you go into a grocery store, you will know what that little green organic label actually means.
By: Brock Pierdzioch
Last updated: May 16, 2014