You pull up to the dairy section, all you need is a box of eggs….
I don’t know about you, but when did buying a box of eggs become so complicated? Natural, Cage-Free, Free-Range, Pasture-Raised, Certified Organic. SO. MANY. LABELS. And this not only pertains to eggs, it applies to livestock, produce, processed foods, condiments, and the list goes on.
Food labels serve an important role in providing information to consumers in an environment where direct contact with the producer is declining. There are many different food labels that contain information about how food was grown and processed. They are supposed to help the consumer make an informed decision, but are they also marketing hacks that suppliers are using against us?
Today we will take a look at some labels and dive into what they really mean.
Certified Labels
Certified labels indicate that products meet the requirements of a third-party regulator. But even then, not all certification processes are created equal.
Organic labels can be found on produce, dairy, meat, processed foods, condiments, and beverages. It is the only certified label for which the definitions or requirements have been set by the US government. The USDA Certified Organic label is regulated by the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP). To meet NOP’s standards, organic foods must be grown in soils that have not been treated with prohibited substances—including most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides—for at least three years. In instances when a grower has to use a synthetic substance to achieve a specific purpose, the substance must first be approved according to criteria that examine its effects on human health and the environment. Organic farmers cannot plant genetically modified organisms (GMOs). For processed, multi-ingredient foods, the USDA organic label means that at least 95 percent of the ingredients are certified organic and do not contain synthetic growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, biotechnology, synthetic ingredients, or irradiation used in production or processing. Products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients and are produced without synthetic methods are labeled “made with organic ingredients,” though they cannot use the USDA organic seal on their packaging.
US certified organic is now a big business. Even with rules in place, there is sometimes unruly, un-organic behavior. For example, the removal of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices – which outlined rules for the living conditions/care, transportation and slaughtering of certified organic animals- means that organic poultry no longer require access to the outdoors. Current standards do not properly define “outdoor access” and the current language is very vague and open to interpretation. This being said, chickens currently can be raised almost entirely indoors without access to soil or grass, without enough space to move around freely or engage in natural behaviors like dust bathing, yet the product can still be labelled “organic.” Enclosed “porches” used by some large and powerful companies are being used to exploit loopholes in the current standards. The OLPP explicitly stated that “porches” would not count as outdoor space.
Another un-organic behavior is the argument over hydroponic farming. Hydroponic farmers claim use of less water and pesticides and that they can be more energy efficient that soil-based farms. On the other side, this farming does no enhancement of the natural environment through soil building, carbon sequestering or other elements held dear to organic agriculture. The concept of organic is not about a singular crop, it is about the ecosystem, the environment, and the planet.
The Certified Naturally Grown program was founded in 2002 in response to the creation of the NOP. This label denotes the food was grown using the same standards as those for organic, but not on a farm actually certified by the NOP of the USDA. Some farmers have criticized the cost and process they need to go through to participate in the USDA’s organic program, so this is an alternative, non-governmental certification system where other farmers act as inspectors in a program administered by a non-profit organization called Certified Naturally Grown. The Certified Naturally Grown label indicates that someone is certifying that it is indeed natural, rather than just using the word “Natural” for marketing purposes.
Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC), is a fairly new certification for food, textiles, and personal care ingredients which was established in 2017 by the Regenerative Organic Alliance. The ROC label uses USDA organic certification as a baseline requirement, but it pushes farmers to further improve animal welfare, provide economic stability and fairness for farmers and farm workers and improve soil health and carbon sequestration. Regenerative organic farming takes a holistic farming approach which includes heavy use of compost, biological pest control, non-GMO seeds, crop rotation and cover crops.
The Fair Trade Certified seal means that one or more of the ingredients in the products were produced and traded in accordance with Fair Trade USA’s standards. This certification not only deals with how produce is grown but also how the farmers and workers are treated. Fair trade products must be produced in accordance with the following guidelines: Workers must receive fair wages, safe and equitable working conditions, and the right to join trade unions; child or forced labor is completely prohibited. Crops must also be grown, produced, and processed in a manner that supports social, economic, and environmental development. Fair trade standards have expanded to certify more than 30 product categories, including quinoa, fresh produce, apparel, home goods, and seafood.
Non-GMO Project verification is just as simple as it sounds. Products labeled as such do not contain genetically modified organisms. GMOs have a genetic code that has had some amount of DNA inserted into it that could not occur there by normal plant reproductive means (a combination of genes that could not occur in nature). There are only 10 GMO crops currently approved for consumption in the U.S.: alfalfa, apples, canola, corn, cotton, papaya, potatoes, soybeans, squash, and sugar beets. In addition to processed products, farmers can have produce certified. Animal products, such as eggs and meat, can also be certified which would be a certification of non-GMO feed. If avoiding GMOs is important to you, you can look for the logo on products with a GMO counterpart, otherwise you’re just paying more for a fancy logo. Another note, USDA organic certified will always be non-GMO products.
The program was created by the Animal Welfare Institute in 2006 and has been administered by the nonprofit A Greener World since 2014. Its standards cover the way its participating farms raise their animals (including beef and dairy cattle, bison, chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese). It is the only label that guarantees animals are raised outdoors on pasture or range for their entire lives. Standards cover the treatment of breeding animals, animals during transport, and animals at slaughter. All farm locations are routinely audited and compliance with all standards is required.
The American Humane Certified program was created by the American Humane Association in 2000 to ensure that animals raised for dairy, poultry, beef, veal, goat, swine, turkey, and bison products are raised in a humane manner. The animal welfare level of standards is lower than other programs, just slightly above conventional industry animal care standards. For example, minimum space requirements are sometimes greater than the industry norm, but do not always allow for freedom of movement. The American Humane does not require compliance with 100 percent of its standards, and only a sample of producer/processor farm locations are audited.
This certification’s standards require continuous access to pasture and a diet to 100 percent forage in addition to being raised without antibiotics, synthetic hormones, confinement. It applies to ruminant meat animals – beef, bison, goat, lamb sheep, dairy cattle, and pastured pork. Certified producers are inspected at least every 15 months by independent, third parties to ensure compliance with the standards.
Non-Certified Labels / Claims
These labels depend on farmer and processor information to support the claim that the food products were raised in compliance with each set of standards. However, they are not certified or tested by any third-party regulatory agency.
No hormones added / Hormone free:
The U.S. government prohibits the use of hormones in all poultry, veal, eggs, bison and pork production, so “hormone-free” claims on any of these products without certifications are likely empty marketing tools. The USDA does not routinely test for the presence of hormones, so no verification system exists.
Raised without antibiotics:
Chickens, pigs, and cattle raised on industrial farms are routinely fed low doses of antibiotics to make them grow faster and compensate for overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions. The claim “antibiotic free” is not allowed as technology does not exist to verify that an animal has never received antibiotics. However, the USDA does allow “no antibiotics administered,” “no antibiotics added,” and “raised without antibiotics” claims if the producer can show documentation that the animals have not received antibiotics at any point in their lives for any purpose, including treatment of illness. Producers must also document procedures for handling sick animals. Given this, there exists a potential negative side where some producers may choose to allow a sick animal to suffer instead of treating the animal for fear of losing the opportunity to use the “raised without antibiotics” claim.
Natural / Naturally Raised:
According to USDA policy, "natural" can be used on a product that contains no artificial ingredients or added color and is only minimally processed. The label must explain the use of the term, such as no artificial ingredients. The term is not an indication that no hormones or antibiotics were administered. The claim has no relevance whatsoever to how the animals were raised. According to the USDA, it is no longer verifying this claim due to confusion with the “natural” claim, and therefore the claim should not be found on any products from animals.
Cage Free:
A “cage free” claim on an egg carton label means that the hens were not confined in cages. It does not mean the hens had access to the outdoors. Cages do not provide hens with enough space to move around or to engage in natural behaviors such as foraging, dust bathing, perching, and nesting. The FDA requires that food labels be truthful and not misleading but has no regulatory definition of “cage free” on egg carton labels. However, if an egg carton has a U.S. Grademark (USDA Grade shield), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service verifies claims such as “cage free.” In regard to the claim “cage free” on poultry, there is no added value as it is uncommon practice to confine chickens raised for slaughter in cages.
Free Range:
These claims on eggs, indicating that hens were allowed access to the outdoors, are verified by the USDA when made by USDA-inspected egg producers. The USDA verifies the claims with on-farm inspections conducted twice per year. The claims are not verified when used on non-USDA-graded eggs, unless the producer participates in a third-party program that certifies “free range” and/or “pasture raised” claims pertaining to eggs. The USDA definition does not specify how often or for how long birds must be given outdoor access. What qualifies as “access” is not defined. It also does not specify minimum space allowances or whether vegetation must be provided. The USDA allows the use of these claims on poultry products if the producer submits animal care protocols and/or affidavits describing the conditions under which the birds are raised. Because birds may be housed indoors for inclement weather and other reasons and given that chickens raised for meat are slaughtered at just 42 days, it is possible that some free range chickens never step outside.
Hundreds of different labels and claims can appear on food packaging which can be overwhelming for anyone. Here we touch on a few, but there are multiple similar organizations which exist with slightly different labels. So how can you decrease the confusion and stress when shopping? First, focus on one or two issues which are important to you, whether it is animal welfare or pesticides etc. Look for a label or two that upholds the standards you support. Second, choose certified labels, this means the products meet the requirements of a third-party regulator. Third, just because a product is certified, does not mean it is healthy. For example, a product that is certified gluten free may help those with celiac and gluten intolerances but can still contain high amounts of unhealthy ingredients such as sodium, sugar, and fat. Remember, we can vote with our forks and wallets!!
Stay well!
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an informed and considered approach is key 🤓