Organic

Organic has particular significance to many members of the Davis population, such as LUGOD, who support free and organic software development. Collaboration on wikis has also been described as organic¹.

The Oxford English Dictionary gives a number of definitions, among them the one most familiar to Davis Food Co-op shoppers:

Organic: (def. 8b) Of a method of farming or gardening: using no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals. Also designating a farmer or gardener utilizing such a method, or a farm on which the method is employed.

This definition, however, is not as useful as might be wished. In the context of food in the United States, "organic" means "adhering to the requirements of the Organic Food Production Act of 1990 (found in 7 U.S.C.A. § 6501-22) and the regulations (found in 7 C.F.R. Part 205) promulgated by the USDA through the National Organic Program ("NOP") under this act." in practical terms, that reduces to "The regulations prohibit the use of genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, and sewage sludge in organic production and handling. As a general rule, all natural (non-synthetic) substances are allowed in organic production and all synthetic substances are prohibited." (From http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/FactSheets/Backgrounder.html )

However, even this definition of the term is not without equivocation. For one, any open-eyed shopper well knows that an "organic" label is also misapplied by crafty marketers because they know it sells. That is, "organic" foods are not always organic. In Davis, as with anywhere else, you must be a discerning shopper and know where to buy your goods.

The catch is that an "organic" label doesn't mean 100% organic. The percentage of organic ingredients can be quite low. [Actually, any food with the "organic" seal must contain at least 95% organic ingredients. —ct] Also, the organic ingredients can be "unimportant" ones (crops which are hearty and don't require pesticides), as opposed to important ones. For instance, strawberries are typically cultivated with large quantities of pesticides, so organic strawberries are hard to find.

The word "organic" is often encountered with the word "natural" which is also often misused. See Food/Natural.

• Cache Creek Nursery

• Capay Organic
  

• Davis Food Co-op
  

• Eatwell Farm
  

• Farmers Market
  

• Fiddlers Green
  

• Gardening
  

• Good Humus
  

• Lloyds Produce
  

• Natural Food Works
  

• Pacific Star Garden
  

• Student Farm
  

• Yolo Bulb Farm

• Community Supported Agriculture
  

• Naked Thread
  

• Nina's Studio
  

• Weston A. Price Foundation

• Stone's Cafe & Catering

• Cache Creek Foods
  

• Full Belly Farm
  

• Wear It Naturally
  

• Woodland Cleaners - Allegedly "100% Organic".

Comments:

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2005-09-13 22:36:43   What isn't a chemical? Isn't everything a chemical? —NickSchmalenberger

Someone at the food co-op once tried to explain what was in "chemical-free" sunscreen... That was a laugh. -KJM


• Was it organic mud? —hankim
  

2007-02-15 02:07:03   The best organic produce in Davis comes from my parents backyard! It rules having a plant PHD for a faja —StevenDaubert