Don't Trust that Organic Label: Another Reason to Buy Local

An article in today's Washington Post reports that the standards by which a food product can be judged "organic" by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has been significantly watered down.

Three years ago, U.S. Department of Agriculture employees determined that synthetic additives in organic baby formula violated federal standards and should be banned from a product carrying the federal organic label. Today the same additives, purported to boost brainpower and vision, can be found in 90 percent of organic baby formula.

This is just another reason to get to know your food by buying local and talking to the people who produce your food. When you go to farmers' markets, don't be afraid to ask questions like, "What, exactly, does integrated pest management mean? Do you ever use pesticides? What do you feed your chickens?" Remember, these foods are about to become part of you, and you have a right to know what's going into your body.