Glossary of terms

organic

In 2002, the USDA began certifying farmers to sell organic products, taking over a word generally used by nonindustrial farmers. The government defines organic as food produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and soil and water conservation. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are not given antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

The USDA has several methods for labeling organic foods: Products can be labeled "100 percent organic," "Organic" for products with 95 percent organically produced ingredients, or "Made with organic ingredients" for products containing at least 70 percent organic ingredients. For products with less than 70 percent organic ingredients, the label can designate specific organic ingredients on the ingredients list.

The USDA organic seal appears only on products that are at least 95 percent organic.

natural

The USDA defines natural for meat and poultry as minimally processed and not containing coloring, preservatives or anything artificial or synthetic. (The USDA is considering revising this definition.) Ethicist Peter Singer calls this term meaningless because it is so vague.

free range

(or free roaming) The USDA defines free-range chickens as those with "access to the outdoors." It does not guarantee the birds ever go outside.

cage free

This is a mildly regulated term that commonly refers to eggs laid by hens that weren't kept in cages. USDA grants producers permission to use this term but does not conduct facility inspections.

conventional

Industrialized agriculture that uses mechanization, chemical pesticides and fertilizers to maximize production yields and profitability. Conventional farms typically focus on mass producing one crop.

sustainable

Ecologically sound farming practices that allow the production of crops or animals without damaging the farm as an ecosystem while supporting the farm's economic viability. Many farms that used to label themselves organic now refer to their operations as sustainable to avoid using the now-official USDA organic designation.

biodynamic

A farming approach based on the work of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner that employs sustainable and organic practices and considers planetary and seasonal cycles. This practice is gaining popularity, so look for more biodynamic labels to come.

grass-fed

An unregulated term that commonly refers to cattle who grazed pastures during growing season and ate hay or grass silage during the winter or droughts. These animals are not fed corn and soybeans. The USDA is considering regulating this term, and the American Grassfed Association plans to unveil a third-party verification system later this year.

vegetarian-fed

An unregulated term that commonly means the livestock were not fed animal byproducts. These terms have been used after the scare related to Mad Cow Disease, which is spread by feeding infected animal byproducts to cattle.

no hormones

No hormones: A regulated term found on meat products from animals that were not given added hormones. However, the term is meaningless in connection with poultry and pigs because federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones on those animals. If such a claim appears on a pork or poultry product, the USDA requires the label to state: "Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones."

no antibiotics

This regulated term is found on meat and poultry products. This means the animals were raised without receiving antibiotics. The USDA only allows the term to be used if sufficient documentation is provided to the agency by the producer showing no antibiotics have been used in raising the animals.

fair trade certified

Fair trade certified: TransFair USA, a nonprofit third-party certifier, has verified that the workers used to make this coffee, sugar, etc. were paid fair wages, had safe working conditions and used environmentally sustainable farming methods.

no-GMOs

This unregulated term generally means this product does not contain any genetically modified organisms. A GMO's genetic structure was altered by incorporating a gene to express a desirable trait. Critics say GMOs may cause harm to insects, make pesticides less effective and create unforeseen health problems for humans.

wild caught

This unregulated term applies to seafood that was caught in their natural habitat. The Seafood Watch program at the Monterey Bay Aquarium offers information online about what seafood can be purchased without health warnings for consumers and concerns about overfishing.

farm-raised

This unregulated term applies to seafood that was raised and caught on a fish farm.