birdieRegulations Question Purity

When organic farming was just dawning as a viable industry, there were provisions made to get it off the ground. Some of these provisions allowed for less than purely organic origins for some livestock. However, now that organic farming is not as rare as it used to be it is high time to hang up some of these provisions. Some farmers may feel a little ruffled by the thought of having to find new sources for some of their starter livestock.

Second Day Organic…O.K.?

When you purchase your organic products and food, you go to great pains to ensure it is the highest quality and truly organic. You seek out the labels that you should and may even make sure the sources are as local as possible and sustainable. It takes great dedication to live an organic lifestyle and even for those who strive to live mostly organic you want to know that your efforts are not in vain. However, how would you feel if you found out that the local organic free range poultry you just purchased was not originally from an organic source. Would you feel you had been lied to? Some would feel this way considering the great pains one goes through to make sure they are eliminating conventional products from their life. What if you found out that this same bird was not originally from an organic source but from its second day of life was raised organically?

USDA – Almost 100% Organic

This is exactly what the USDA has allowed. To encourage organic poultry farming, they have allowed organic farmers to purchase chicks and raise the chicks organically. Even if these chicks came from conventionally raised hens as long as they are raised from their second day of life organically, they could be labeled organic, and their eggs can be labeled organic. The Center for Food Safety is asking the USDA to lift this allowance stating that while 15 years ago this was a necessary allowance, it isn’t anymore. There are already overhauls happening in the Organic Diary industry, and it looks like poultry is next. If the organic industry wants to be separate from the conventional industrialized world – then perhaps it is time to make that separation very clear for everyone. As consumers, we want what we are promised. We want full disclosure and when we are told 100% organic, we expect that to be true from start to finish. It is time to revisit what may have been necessary to get an industry off the ground many years ago. We have reached a new age of organic living!

Applications & Resources

  • Check out the August article at the Organic Farming Research Foundation
  • Read more about food safety and more ways research is keeping you safe at Washington State University
  • Organic Food is always best. Living an all-organic lifestyle will keep you as toxin-free as you can be. Nevertheless, even organic food can suffer from cross-contamination, which is why you always want to be sure to use an organic chemical-free food wash – like iGOZEN.

iGOZEN is a philosophy and a way of life. We hope you enjoy our articles and posts as much as we enjoy bringing them to you. We strive every day to bring you child and pet-friendly products that you can be proud to bring into your home. Our all-organic products reflect our Zen principles and bring you a little closer to an Earth-friendly lifestyle.