Our ingredient purchases help to support more than 40,000 acres of organic agriculture – that’s agriculture that produces healthy, nutritious food while promoting a more sustainable environment.

“Organic” refers to the way agricultural products – food and fiber – are grown and processed. It’s an ecological system that relies on healthy, rich soil to produce strong plants that resist pests and diseases.

Organic farmers don’t use toxic and persistent pesticides or chemical fertilizers, which have been known to contaminate soil, rivers, lakes, oceans and drinking water. Instead, organic farmers enrich their soils and control pests by rotating crops, planting cover crops, releasing beneficial insects and adding composted manure and plant wastes to the soil.

In the case of livestock, organic farmers don’t use antibiotics or artificial growth hormones (rBST, rBGH). They keep their livestock healthy and productive through good nutrition and low-stress living conditions.

Organic practices include:
Crop rotation- alternating the types of crops grown in each field prevents soil depletion, and it controls pests by eliminating pest breeding grounds built year after year with a continuous crop.

Planting cover crops, such as clover, adds nutrients to the soil, prevents weeds, and increases organic matter in the soil. Soil with high organic matter resists erosion and holds water better, requiring less irrigation. Studies have shown that organic crops fare better than non-organic crops in times of drought and stress.

Releasing beneficial insects that prey on pests helps to eliminate the need for chemical insecticides that can remain in the soil for years and leach into our water supply.

Adding composted manure and plant wastes helps the soil retain moisture and nutrients. Just as falling leaves return nutrients to forest soil, composting replenishes the soil.

Preventing animal illness through good nutrition and low-stress living conditions are keys to successful organic livestock farming.

Organic practices mean:

• No toxic, persistent pesticides to contaminate our soil and water, or injure farm workers.
• No chemical fertilizers to run off and contaminate our rivers, lakes, oceans and drinking water.
• A healthier and more sustainable environment for us all.

How do I know it's Organic?
The U.S. Organic Standard
In October of 2002, the long awaited congressionally mandated National Organic Standards went into effect, requiring that all products labeled organic meet stringent standards established by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Now consumers know that products labeled organic meet the strict standards set by the USDA.

USDA standards include:

• Land on which organic food or fibers are grown must not have had prohibited substances applied (such as toxic and persistent pesticides and chemical fertilizers) for three years prior to certification.
• Farmers, handlers and processors must keep detailed records of all growing, processing and management practices.
• A third-party certifier approved by the USDA must inspect methods and materials annually.

USDA Organic Labeling Regulations
Under the USDA regulations, there are three categories of organic product labeling.

• Products labeled “100% Organic” must contain 100% organic ingredients.
• Products labeled “Organic” must contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients, and the remaining 5% must comply with certain restrictions, including no genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
• Products labeled “Made with Organic Ingredients” must contain a minimum of 70% organic ingredients, and the remaining 30% must comply with certain restrictions, including no GMOs.
• Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organic ingredients on the package’s side panel, but may not make any organic claim on the front of the package.