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Food Certification Labels - What You Need to Know
Confused about Food Label certifications such as Rainforest Alliance Certified, Bird Friendly Certified, Fair Trade Certified, Dolphin Friendly and more? Here's what you need to know.
USDA Certified Organic
What is Means: The US Dept of Agriculture developed standards that must be met by producers using this label in the United States. Organic food is produced without the use of synthetic and petroleum derived pesticides and fertilizers, antibiotics, genetic engineering and irradiation. Organic animals must also eat 100% organic feed and have access to pasture: processed foods carrying this label must have between 95% and 100% organic ingredients.
How it's verified: A USDA-accredited certifier verigies that farmers and producers meet the USDA National Organic program standards
Find out more http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexNet.htm
Fair Trade Certified
What is Means: Internationally used, this label guarantees that prices, working conditions and wages meet a strict set of standards that ensure farmers and farm workers in developing nations receive a fair price for their product. Food bearing this label must be grown by small-scale producers who are democratically organized in cooperatives or unions, and farmers must have direct trade relations with buyers, access to credit and a say in how their products are created and sold. This program helps farmers lift themseves out of poverty.
Where you'll find it: Coffee, hot chocolate, tea,candy, cocoa, fruit, grains, and sweeteners.
How it's verified: TransFair USA, a non-profit organization, is the only certifier of Fair Trade goods in the United States.
Find out more http://www.transfairusa.org
Rainforest Alliance Certified
What it means: The rainforest Alliance follows standards set by the Sustainable Agriculture Network, designed to promote tropical conservation internationally. RA focuses on educating farmers about alternatives to destructive farming methods and verifies that certified products have been grown using environmentally responsible management practices, including integrated pest- and disease management practices, soil and water conservation, fait labor practices and community relations.
Where you'll find it: Coffee, Chocolate, Bananas
How it's verified: By third party auditors.
Learn More http://www.rainforest-alliance.org
Bird Friendly
What it means: When conservation groups noticed farmers ripping out shade trees that grew alongside coffee trees, disrupting wildlife and endangering birds, they took action. Coffee bearing this label must be grown under naturally occurring or planted shade trees.
Where you'll find it: Coffee
How it's verified: The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center cerifies bird-friendly coffee on 33 farms in seven countries.
Find out more http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Coffee/
 Certified Naturally Grown
What it means: An alternative to the USDA's organic program, CNG is a nonprofit for small-scale, direct- market organic farmers. The CNG certification uses National Organic Program growing practices; the primary difference is certification costs due to farmers and paperwork requirements. Since CNG certified farmers nust agree to sell their produce only locally and directly to food stores and restaurants, it's considered a nationally branded local foods label.
Where you'll find it: Fruits, vegetables, dairy,meat, eggs, and some jam
How it's verified: The SNG program uses other organic or CNG farmers as inspectors, and they randomly test 10% of members' products for pesticides
Find out more http://www.naturallygrown.org/
 Protected Harvest
What it means: Affiliated with the World Wildlife Fund, the Protected Harvest Program certifies crops that have been raised with integrated pet management. To qualify for the seal, specific crop management practices must be employed and reduce use of toxic pesticides, improve sail and water quality, and protect wildlife habitat.
Where you'll find it: Fruit, vegetables and wine
how it's verified: By contracted, independent third party inspectors.
Find out more http://www.protectedharvest.org/
 Demeter Certified Biodynamic
What it means: This label predates the moderm organic agriculture movement, but similar to theUSDA organic label, it indicates that a product was produced without the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and animal byproducts. Demeter also prohibits the use of genetic engineerging and stipulates all feed must be grown on site, and that the entire farm has to be sustainable.
Where you'll find it: Wine, eggs, cheese, fruit,meat and vegetables.
How it's verified: By third party auditor.
Find out more http://www.demeter-usa.org/
 Certified Humane Raised and Handled
What it Means: This label ensures that animals raised for dairy, lamb, poultry, beef, goat and pork products are treated humanelt. Growth hormones are prohibited, as are antibiotics (except in the treatment of sick animals). Access to clean and sufficient food and water and a safe, healthful living environment is required from birth through slaughter. Standards for each species define those requirements specifically. For example, dairy cattle must have at least 4-5 hours a day of pasture time every day, weather permitting.
Where you'll find it: Meat, dairy and egg products.
How it's verified: By third party inspectors who have expertise in animal welfare. The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service Livestock and Seed Program verifies the certification process of this program.
More info http://www.certifiedhumane.com/
Dolphin Safe
What it Means: The Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act prohibits manufacturers from labeling tuna as "dolphin safe" if it was caught in a manner that causes death or serious injury to dolphins through deliberate targeting or encirclement of dolphins.
How it's verified: Tuna caught in the primaru ocean region where tuna swim with dolphins must be verified by an independent observer from the National Marine Fisheries Service who was aboard the ship that caught the tuna (and who ensures that no dolphins were deliberately encircled). Tuna caught in most other waters does not require on board verification Learn More http://www.hsus.org/about_us/humane_society_international_hsi/international_policy/treaties/the_dolphin_safe_label/
Source: Kimberly Lord Stewart, author of Eating Between the Lines: The Supermarket Shopper's Guide to the Truth Behind Food Labels (St. Martin's Griffin, 2007) excerpted from the Natural foods Merchandiser July 2007
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