Most people consider a food organic if it has been grown without the use of pesticides and other chemicals. While this view of organic foods is technically true, there is also the question of sustainability to consider. Sustainably grown organic foods are not only good for the consumer's health, but also good for the environment. Below we will explain any differences that exist between the practices of small self-proclaimed organic farms and large corporate farms, and the meaning of the different organic labels on food packaging. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay It is good to know the difference between organic and sustainable farming. While organic and sustainability tend to go hand in hand, the two are not always mutually exclusive. There are specific rules that must be respected to be considered organic, but sustainable agriculture goes further. Animal products considered organic must come from animals with access to the outdoors as well as animals fed organically and free of antibiotics. Animals can spend their entire lives indoors with access to the outdoors through a window, or be allowed outside for only a short time each day in a small, enclosed area, and still technically be considered organic. In a sustainable system, animals can roam outdoors as much as possible as they would if they were in their natural environment. If they are in a fenced area, they have ample room to move. A sustainable farmer may choose to provide shelter for an animal at night or when the weather is bad. Sustainable farmers may sometimes choose to give antibiotics to a sick animal, but no meat, eggs or dairy products are passed to the consumer until the antibiotic is cleared from the animal's system. Neither uses artificial hormones. Organic food can be grown on farms of any size. While a smaller organic farm tends to follow sustainable practices, large organic farms tend to grow monocultures across multiple acres. Food produced in large industrial complexes does not come from sustainable practices. An exception might be a large brand made up of a cooperative of multiple small farms. Almost all food can be shipped thousands of miles before reaching its final destination, but sustainable food aligns with the philosophy of sustainability when it is sold closer to the area from which it is grown. The best way to ensure that organic produce was grown in your region is to buy from a farmer's market. This is also a good time to learn about the farmer's practices for growing food. When you are in a grocery store, food source information is usually found on the package when it says where the food was produced. Small organic farms are generally known for their sustainable practices. They grow small mixed crops and/or practice crop rotation for soil health and pest control. Mixed cropping helps ensure that if one crop fails, all is not lost. Evidence of mixed cropping can be seen at any farmers market where individual vendors are usually found selling various products that come from one farm. A great example of a small organic farm that practices sustainability is that ofPolyface. It is a family-owned farm in Virginia that provides fresh meat and eggs. The animals feed on the land or are supplemented with organic foods. The farm is managed in the best interests of the animals and the land. Polyface doesn't just make claims; they can actually show what they do. They offer occasional small group intensive workshops where they show and educate what is done on this type of farm. Scheduled self-guided and escorted tours are offered throughout the month. This farm also maintains its philosophy by only selling its products locally. Large organic farms have some advantages over non-organic ones, but there are still some disadvantages in the grand scheme of things. The impact of a substantial reduction in the use of pesticides and herbicides is positive for the health of the general population and for the environment. That said, some of these companies don't always follow sustainable practices in other industries. For example, instead of maintaining only as many cows as an area's natural resources can hold over the long term, a large organic dairy farm can confine dairy cows most of the time to a large compound. For these companies, the more the better, since profit is the bottom line. This allows them to sell organic dairy products at lower prices than a comparable product from a smaller farm that practices higher standards of animal care. In the long run, it is worth paying a higher price when all the factors that go into producing the product are considered. The Cornucopia Institute researches certified organic dairy brands and publishes a dairy brand evaluation scorecard based on ethical organic farming practices. Brands can be given a score from 5 for exceptional down to a score of 0 for ethically deficient. One such brand that receives a 0 rating is the Horizon brand owned by Dean. About half of the milk sold by Horizon comes from small farms that most likely employ good sustainability practices. The problem lies with the other half of Horizon's dairy production coming from large-scale industrial farms, including two company-owned facilities. One such facility contains 4,000-5,000 crammed cows with little access to pasture. One organic dairy that earned a rating of 5 from the Cornucopia Institute is Loleta Cheese in California, which has a dairy near its cheese manufacturing plant. Their cows have access to large pastures for grazing and all cows purchased are organic from birth. Loleta Cheese's organic dairy follows what most people think of when they see the organic label. When shopping at a grocery store, variations in organic labeling can sometimes be confusing. There are many factors that determine whether a food qualifies for having an organic label on its packaging. In 2002, the USDA, through its National Organic Program, created a standard set of guidelines that food manufacturers must meet to display the USDA Organic seal and labels or to make organic claims. Single-ingredient foods such as organic fruits and vegetables may have a sticker or sign on the product displaying the USDA organic label. Multi-ingredient foods can have one of four choices. Foods prepared with 100% organic ingredients may carry the “100% organic” label and the USDA Organic seal. Foods prepared with 95-99% ingredients.