Organic products have existed for decades, yet experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. As scientists make new discoveries about the long-term health implications of lifestyle and diet, people have become more interested in knowing exactly what they are putting into their bodies. Organic meat production is regulated much more strictly than regular meat, giving consumers peace of mind.
History
The modern concept of organic farming and agricultural practices was introduced in the 1920s. However, the idea did not gain popular support until the environmental movement of the 1970s, itself a response to the negative environmental effects of chemicals. The first organic certifying agency in the United States was the California Certified Organic Farmers, whose standards became the basis for the Organic Food Protection Act of 1990. The National Organic Program, a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was passed in 2001.
Standards
In order to sell meat labeled as organic, farmers must adhere to specific standards. Livestock and poultry feed must contain all organic material, unlike feed for non-organic animals, which may contain plastic pellets and animal waste. Organic animals must have access to outdoor roaming space or pastures. The use of antibiotics, growth hormones and genetic engineering are prohibited. The animals cannot be exposed to pesticides, and farmers cannot treat grazing fields with sewage sludge.
Purpose
Organic livestock and poultry farming practices reduce the spread of disease. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, better known as mad cow disease, spreads when livestock consumes meat contaminated with the disease. Non-organic industrial farmers often use the ground-up remains of diseased livestock and poultry as feed for pigs, poultry and cattle.
Eating organic meat also reduces the consumption of chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics and synthetic growth hormones. Over time, consumption of these chemicals can cause neurological and reproductive damage.
Cost
Organic meat typically costs more at the supermarket than regular meat. This is because organic meat is more expensive to produce at every stage. Not only is feed and care more expensive, but organic certification is costly as well. Farm operators must pay for regular facility inspections as well as periodic animal testing.
Misconceptions
Package labeling sometimes deliberately misleads consumers. Phrases such as "all-natural" do not mean the same thing as organic. Meats labeled "100 percent organic" must contain all organic ingredients. A label that simply says "organic" may contain up to five-percent non-organic ingredients. Products claiming to be made with organic ingredients or labeled "some organic ingredients" can contain up to 30-percent non-organic ingredients.
References
- Om Organics: History of Organics
- Organic Trade Association: Organic vs. Conventional Livestock Production -- A Side-by-Side Comparison
- Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture: Why Eat Organic Meat?
- National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service: Organic Farm Certification and the National Organic Program
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Labeling Packaged Products Under the National Organic Standards
