Common Food Labels, Information, and Resources
Food Label
ORGANIC
What does it mean?
UNITED STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) ORGANIC STANDARDS
When you see the USDA Organic Seal, it means:
● “100% Organic” – all ingredients meet the National Organic Program
requirements (see below)
● “Organic” – 95% or more organic ingredients
USDA has standards for the following labels but the seal is not allowed to be used:
● “Made with Organic Ingredients” – at least 70% of ingredients are organic
● “Less than 70% Ingredients Organic” – only the ingredients listed on the label
and noted as such are organic
● Anything labeled with the USDA Organic Seal must list the certifying agent and
address
USDA National Organic Program Crop Standards:
● No irradiation
● No sewer sludge used as fertilizer
● No synthetic (petroleum-based) fertilizers
● No pesticides prohibited by USDA
● No genetically-modified organisms (GMOs)
USDA National Organic Program Livestock Standards:
● Animals raised in a way that meets animal health and welfare standards
● No antibiotics
● No growth hormones
● 100% organic feed
● Access to the outdoors
USDA National Organic Multi-Ingredient Foods Standards:
● 95% or more certified organic content (with USDA Organic Seal)
● If the product claims “made with organic ingredients” but it has no USDA Organic
Seal, it has 70% or more certified organic ingredients (they should be specified on
the ingredient list)
USDA Organic does not allow genetically modified organisms (GMOs). However,
organic crops can be contaminated by GMO crops through cross pollination (e.g,
soybeans and alfalfa). The only certification program for GMOs is the Non GMO Project,
described below.
Common Food Labels, Information, and Resources
Food Label
What does it mean?
QUALITY ASSURANCE INTERNATIONAL (QAI)
QAI is a common USDA-accredited organic product certifying agency. You will see their
symbol typically on the back of packaging as a certifying agency. They follow the USDA’s
Organic Program standards.
If a product has “Certified Organic” or “Organic” on the front of the packaging, but does
not have the USDA Organic Seal, look for this certification on the back. Remember, only
products with 95% or more organic ingredients are allowed to display the USDA Organic
Seal.
CALIFORNIA CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMERS
Although this says “California,” it applies to products sold throughout North America and
abroad. It meets the USDA National Organic Program standards, the Canada Organic
Regime standards, and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 65
accreditation (a part of International Organic Accreditation Service).
“ALL NATURAL”
AND “NATURAL”
There is no official definition for “natural” or “all natural” labels. The USDA provides this
explanation for what “natural” foods are:
“A product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only
minimally processed. Minimal processing means that the product was processed
in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product. The label must include
a statement explaining the meaning of the term natural (such as "no artificial
ingredients; minimally processed").” From www.fda.gov.
Usually an asterisk is used to describe what the producer means by “natural.”
Common Food Labels, Information, and Resources
Food Label
What does it mean?
As an example, these popsicles are advertised as natural:
…because they have “naturally derived” colors and flavors:
Some producers have taken voluntary pledges to use ingredients that are extracted
directly from plant and animal sources. However, this is not a certification and it does
not guarantee the sources are free from pesticides, GMOs, or petroleum-based fertilizers.
For more information on these products, see the following website:
http://naturalingredient.org/index.htm.
HUMANELYRAISED/ANIMAL
WELFARE
The US government does not currently have any criteria by which they assess the
humane treatment of animals in meat and dairy production.
Third Party Verification organizations that thoroughly assess the treatment of animals in
dairy and meat production:
Global Animal Partnership: They have a 5 step rating, with the criteria of each step
clearly labeled on their logo.
Common Food Labels, Information, and Resources
Food Label
What does it mean?
Animal Welfare Approved: Most rigorous standards of the three. Their website has full
disclosure of how they assess humane treatment, which farms are part of their
organization, and detailed information on food labels.
http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/
American Humane Certified: Not as transparent with their standards as the other two,
but trustworthy when found alongside the USDA organic label.
CAGE FREE
There is no legally regulated definition of Cage Free.
 Cage free means that the hens are not confined to battery cages
 They are kept “cage free” in huge warehouses with thousands of other hens.
 Access to the outside varies greatly, and is not standardized or regulated in any
way.
 Beak cutting (a process by which the end of the beak is sanded or clipped off) is
widely used.
Cage Free does not mean humanely treated
FREE RANGE
GRASS-FED
See information above for Cage Free
The animal in question was fed only grass and other hay species, fresh or otherwise, for
the duration of its life.
The USDA certifies beef as grass fed if they are fed 100% hay and grass silage.
Common Food Labels, Information, and Resources
Food Label
What does it mean?
American Grass-fed Association (AGA) is FAR more thorough, and ensures that the
animals are never confined to a feedlot (a common practice for USDA certified Grass-fed
beef) or a pen.


COUNTRY OF
ORIGIN LABELING
(COOL)
AGA also certifies that NONE of their animals have ever been given hormones or
antibiotics.
‘Grass-Finished’ and ‘Green Fed’ have no regulated definitions
Amendment to the Farm bill in 2009 stated that all perishable agricultural products in the
US be labeled with a Country of Origin.
 Allows the consumer to make decisions about who/where they would prefer to
buy their food from.
 Opposed by the US food industry out of fear that consumers would decide that
non-American produced food items were preferable to those produced here
 If something does NOT have a COOL label, or has a suspect label, avoid and find
something that seems accurately labeled.
Whole foods was the first large grocery chain to voluntarily provide COOL information
NON-GMO
70% of the food sold in the US is genetically modified, or has consumed genetically
modified products (cows, chickens).
USDA Definition: Any fruit or vegetable whose genes have been deliberately manipulated
to ensure a specific desirable trait
Non-GMO Project – Third Party Verification of products that contain no GMO’s
Common Food Labels, Information, and Resources
Food Label
What does it mean?
The Committee for The Right to Know - working on putting a bill on the ballot for this fall
that will require all food producers to label products containing GMOs by 2014. Make
sure you vote for YOUR right to know :)
ANTIBIOTIC-FREE
USE IN RED MEAT AND POULTRY
The terms "no antibiotics added/administered" may be used on labels for meat or
poultry products if sufficient documentation is provided by the producer to the Agency
demonstrating that the animals were raised without antibiotics. However, there is no
regulated verification process.
There are links between the overuse of antibiotics in intensive farming and the rise of
bacteria that are resistant to common antibiotics. The major culprit at the moment is
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus – more commonly known as MRSA. For more
info, check out: www.animalwelfareapproved.org
If you are concerned about antibiotics, it is safer to look for certified organic labeling
because this has a verification process for determining the use of antibiotics.
Here is an example of chicken that has no antibiotics with organic certification:
Common Food Labels, Information, and Resources
Food Label
What does it mean?
And, here is chicken that is not organic but also claims no antibiotics (so, no government
regulation in place):
HORMONE
FREE/NO
HORMONES
ADDED
HORMONES IN BEEF/DAIRY
There is no verification for labels that say “hormone free,” “no hormones
administered/added.” According to the FDA, these claims imply no hormones were ever
used during the life of the animal but there is no credible verification of this other than
the producer’s word. From www.greenerchoices.org.
If you want no hormones, including recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) in dairy
products, look for certified organic labeling.
Although this “all natural” beef says “No antibiotics or hormones – ever,” there is no
existing certification system in place to monitor this claim:
HORMONES IN POULTRY AND OTHER LIVESTOCK
Hormones are only allowed in the raising of cows. No poultry, pork, or other livestock
animals are allowed hormones whether they raised organically or not. When a label for
chick says “No hormones added/administered,” they are only following the existing
regulations. The producer must say this on the package.
Common Food Labels, Information, and Resources
Food Label
LOCAL
What does it mean?
Buying locally reduces the number of miles food must travel to get to the consumer,
thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and supports the local economy. However,
there is no universally defined distance for a local foodshed so what is considered local
varies on the region and store.


Whole Foods considers local to be any produced within 250 miles of the stores
location, and will often find them much closer.
Wal-Mart has committed to sourcing 9% of its food locally by the year 2015. To
them, local means 450 miles or within the state in which the store is located.
Common Food Labels, Information, and Resources
Food Label
What does it mean?
The Los Angeles Local Foodshed
The Los Angeles Food Policy Council is working to increase food production and sales
within its own foodshed. (Check out Good Food LA and the LA Foodshed online)
 Approximately 200-mile radius
 Where to find local food in LA?
http://goodfoodla.org/what_is_good_food_page6.php
Take home message: Just ask a store manager/employee if “local” signage is confusing.
They should know where it is coming from.
This list has been compiled by Currant Table from a variety of sources, including:
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
The Food and Drug Administration
Greener Choices
Animal Welfare Approved
American Grass-Fed Association
Quality Assurance International
California Certified Organic Farmers
trips to our local grocery stores
Currant Table: Creating Sustainable Food Connections
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