No one likes to be tricked, deceived, or taken advantage of. But when it comes to food labels, there’s a ton of eco-trickery for shoppers to navigate.
That’s where Alex Bogusky can help. He’s the creative genius and now retired Founding Partner of one of the hottest ad agencies ever: Crispin Porter + Bogusky. He knows the tricks of the trade, but he’s on our side. In fact, he’s the mastermind behind the “Truth campaign,” which helps teens see how they’re duped by the tobacco industry’s promotion ploys.
So when I learned that Bogusky was speaking at the largest organic and natural food exposition in the U.S., I jumped into a front row seat ready to learn his thoughts about how to increase organic food and farming.
First, Bogusky confessed that he’s “scared about the food system.” He knows organic agriculture is best for our environment and our children’s future. Then, he revealed his organic marketing strategy: “destroy the natural label.”
“Natural is the enemy of organic,” he explained. It dilutes the true and credible label with a cheaper imitation.
He’s right, of course. Natural labels do confuse shoppers. Many think natural is as good or even better than organic, much to the delight of the “natural” food marketer. Yet nothing could be farther from the truth.
Take a famous brand of chicken, for example. When I asked a company executive if there were any plans to offer consumers an organic bird, I was told “no.” Why should they? They were doing quite well with their “natural” line.
Now keep in mind that the natural label on meat and poultry only applies to post-slaughter conditions. It means nothing in terms of pre-slaughter animal care and feeding. Only the organic label guarantees that livestock receive no antibiotics, hormones or genetically modified (GMO), pesticide-contaminated feed.
In fact, you can bet that “all-natural, vegetarian-fed” birds eat GMO corn and/or soy. It’s the standard fare at typical feed mills for all livestock.
Here’s another example of “natural” labeling abuse: high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The FDA allows products containing the GMO corn-based sweetener to bear the word “natural.” However, you’ll never find HFCS in certified organic foods and beverages.
Ready to take a quiz?
If you want to avoid genetically modified ingredients, chemical fertilizers, synthetic hormones and pesticide residues, which food labels should you look for?
A. Organic
B. Natural
C. Local
D. Anything that’s got a green label.
Answer: A, and only A.
Now, you’re way too smart to be duped. What we need is our own Truth campaign, about the real benefits only organic delivers.
Beware of greenwashing, my friends. Here’s a cheat sheet for the “truth” on labels:
* FDA restricts the term “natural” to products that contain no artificial substances, including color additives and flavors, but allows GMOs — go figure!
* USDA says “natural” may be used on the label if the meat or poultry product does not contain any artificial ingredients or added color, and is only “minimally processed” post-slaughter. The term does not define how animals are raised or fed.
* Local has no legal standard; know your farmer and visit local farms. Ask about GMO feed, antibiotics, hormones and pesticide/herbicide use. Local organic is the gold standard.
* Certified organic is a label you can trust. It includes independent certification of verified standards. Concise legal definitions, regulations and third-party audits protect consumers. Read all about the USDA’s organic standards here.
As for Bogusky, today he heads up the “Fearless Revolution” where he creates campaigns to educate and empower consumers. We can join forces by telling our friends the truth: Organic certification is the gold standard, and natural doesn’t mean much.
~Melinda Hemmelgarn , M.S., R.D.
The reasons for there not being labels on gmo foods, and by-products, is simply because of the swinging door between agricultural biotech companies like Monsanto and the U.S. government. The world-wide deregulation of gmo labeling requirements would also open up free trade of these genetically engineered and modified foods particularly to the European countries which currently do not even allow rBGH in their milk.
Atina, thank you for your strong and knowledgeable voice. You bring out points about certification that the average consumer and skeptical farmer might not think about. Thank you for helping us better understand the importance of protecting the integrity of the program and our food supply. A valuable contribution, as always.
Great article Melinda thanks.
Many of the farmers beginning today do not know the history and work that went into creating organic standards—that they were written by organic farmers and consumers. They don’t know what a mess it was before we had uniform standards and how much confusion there was. Nor do they have any idea of the harassment and isolation early organic farmers went through to pave the way for them and the local, organic, natural food market.
The hardest thing about getting certified is filling out the organic system plan. It’s a bit of work and thought, but worth every second of it and once it’s done following years only need a review and update. Going through the process helps the farmer articulate how they will manage their system and prepare for the growing season. This improves their skill and success. The inspection is not a super big deal, and certification cost share reimbursement is available.
Besides providing consumers with a uniform and reliable standard and product, certification provides benefits to the farmer that non-certificated farmers do not enjoy.
1) Certification provides legal protection. Our eminent domain lawsuit with Koch Industries is the perfect example. We would not have won if we weren’t certified. Also in situations of chemical drift–it is possible to show and substantiate in a court of law a significantly greater and convincing loss. The bottom line is that an organic farm has a federally registered organic system plan, which provides a credible document for proof in a court.
2) Certification is the only way the USDA can count how many organically run farms there are. This is like a census fact. Research funding, farm bill money, policy changes, etc are based upon certification numbers. If the goal is to change agriculture to a less toxic and damaging impact on the ecosystem, we need to state loud and clear to the USDA that organic is viable, that farmers are doing it, and that consumers demand it. Certification is a crucial contribution to the organic movement.
3) Certification is the best tool local farmers have to protect themselves from the co-opting of the “local” market label. It is only a matter of market size before conventional ag comes into the local market with beautiful labels, slick promotion and cheap prices. We have already seen this with the successful Golden Plump – Just Bare product line. The truth of the matter is that a great deal of food is already produced locally but is not being marketed as local. Once the buy local market is large enough this product can receive a nice label and fill the groceries with more affordable product than any small farmer can produce. Certification will be a crucial market tool and protection for organic growers.
Atina
Organic Farming Works
Hello Stonyfield, I use your Whole and your Reduced Fat Milk. Do any of Stonyfield Organic products contain carrageenan?
Hi Susan – Thanks for reaching out with your question about carrageenan. Here at Stonyfield, we’re committed to healthy food, healthy people and a healthy planet, and choose our ingredients with your safety in mind. The only products which currently contain carrageenan are our YoKids Squeezers. Carrageenan has been used widely in food production worldwide since the 1930s, and based on several recommendations on the safety of carrageenan, we believe that it truly is safe.
The safety of carrageenan has been assured by the FDA and the independent scientists of the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The JECFA recommended the most favorable acceptable daily intake (ADI) after a review of numerous toxicology and carcinogenicity studies on carrageenan by two world experts in this field. We hope this information is helpful to you. If you ever have a question about our Stonyfield organic products, please give us a shout at 1-800-PRO-COWS.
Best, Amy
Thanks for everyone’s comments.
A program assistant at Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) explained to me that the organic certification requires more paper work and is more expensive than CNG. Certified Organic farmers are inspected by independent third party certifiers, whereas CNG farms are inspected by participating farmers or in some cases an Extension agent can fill in.
She explained that the CNG program is meant to be complementary to organic, not a competitor. But for the consumer, it’s yet another term that they need to differentiate in the marketplace.
While “Certified naturally grown” has a higher standard than “natural,” consumers can be easily confused. It’s tough to keep
all these terms straight.
Let me give you a local example. We have lots of farmers at our farmers’ market who claim to grow their food “naturally” but who don’t carry a certification. The term is used loosely. One farmer at my market feeds his cattle both pasture, AND ethanol by-products, yet says his beef is “naturally grown.” (but not “certified naturally grown.”)
Other farmers feed GMO grain to chickens, hogs, etc. and claim to produce their meat “naturally.”
Consumer confusion? You bet. After a while the terms get to be one big blur.
The “Certified Naturally Grown” standards are excellent. But unfortunately, there are so many competing “natural” labels and variations thereof that are not trustworthy, nor regulated by as high a standard as the National Organic Program.
I also worry about the dilution of organic. And I’m not happy with the CNG farmer at my market who tells me CNG is “better” than organic.
I remain an advocate for the organic certification because so far I think it’s the best tool we have to insure safe food – and by that I mean no GMOs, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, and a long list of pesticides/herbicides. The organic label also communicates a real difference to consumers.
That said, of course we will have to work together to keep the organic label’s integrity.
The bottom line is that we’re all in this together. Thank you for helping me and others better understand the CNG label and the differences and similarities to the organic label.
Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D.
Melissa – Thanks for the post. Indeed, the word “natural” has been terribly overused, especially by profit-driven companies who peddle processed, pesticide-laden products as “natural.” But a blanket call to “destroy the natural label” throws out the baby with the bathwater and can hurt the very farmers it means to help.
Certified Naturally Grown offers a grassroots alternative to certified organic tailored for direct-market farmer and beekeepers — the kinds of people who got the organic movement started in the first place. Certification requires an on-site inspection and adherence to rigorous standards prohibiting the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, GMO seeds, etc. In short, we use the word “naturally” in good faith and to mean something very real and specific. It means a lot to our farmers and their customers.
yours, naturally
Alice Varon, Executive Director
Certified Naturally Grown
The grassroots alternative to certified organic for direct-market farmers and beekeepers
Great article Melinda!
Way to go! A truthful, straightforward, informative article on certified organic.
We need more of this. I may not promote WAR to take down NATURAL, but really, it is just a smoke screen for industrial food.
Keep up the true messaging.