What Makes a Food "Organic"?

 The demand for organic foods is increasing as more and more consumers are realizing that what they eat really matters. Organic generally means that the farmer, whether he deals with plants or animals, has adhered to guidelines set forth by the United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA). Organic farmers are required to adhere to certain soil and water conservation methods and to rules about the humane treatment of animals.

Organic foods: 
 Do not contain antibiotics or added hormones
 Were not treated with pesticides or irradiation 
 Were not bioengineered, meaning that the DNA of the seed was not altered in a lab, patented for a certain benefit like being resistant to a pesticide that would naturally kill it, and sold to a farmer. (Note: sometimes these seeds are good for one season, meaning that the farmer cannot use the seeds of his plant the next growing season; he must buy new seeds season after season).

Note that the terms, “natural”, “cage-free”, “free-range” or “hormone-free” do not mean a product is organic. They may be organic, but you must see this label on the below to be sure.