US Organic Rules Lacking

Ten years in the making, the new US National Organic Standards released in December aren't pleasing everyone. The new standards will ensure the label "made with organic ingredients" means at least 70 per cent organic. But they also allow food additives in both these and 100 per cent certified organic products.

Permitted adjuncts are "generally recognized as safe" under the Food and Drug Administration's guidelines and include a long list of chemicals allowed in non-organic food. They can only be used if there's no natural source or organic substitute for the substance and if it's needed for "handling" purposes.

Other problems include provisions to allow milk to be labelled organic when cattle have not been fed strictly organic feed or have once been fed growth hormone.

While some groups are happy with the new rules, opponents say they're more to help big business than organic farmers and consumers, who may turn to biodynamic labels instead.