Organic Standards Set

Grocery shoppers seeking organic foods can soon look for a single label that ensures standardized organic certification nationwide. After 10 years in the planning, federal rules monitoring organic foods went into effect February 20, and will be fully implemented by early next year.

According to former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, these are the "strictest, most comprehensive organic standards in the world" and will influence all phases of organic food production. What does this mean for consumers? Foods labeled "organic" must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients, and meats with an organic label will ensure the animals of origin were fed 100 percent organic feed.

Standardizing organic certification will help eliminate any ambiguity or confusion surrounding what it means to receive the organic stamp of approval.

—Jordana Gerson