Most countries around the world have an established organic certification program that demands strict standards under government control on all organic foods. Food manufactures and produce farmers are required to label and sell their products as per the strict certification standards of that country. Some smaller growers can be considered exempt from the strict standards, so be sure to ask the grower how their produce is grown;
- Do the fruit or vegetables include the spraying of chemical pesticides?
- Does it include chemical fertilizers in the soil?
- Have chemical herbacides been used around the vegetable or fruit to control weeds?
- Have animal material been included as a fertilizer in the soil? If so, have those animals been injected with antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to prevent disease in the animal?
Not all growers and manufacturers adhere to the strict guidelines so it’s necessary to read labels and ask farmers market growers as many questions as you can.
Some people believe, that Genetically Modified Food (GMO) or pesticide and herbicide sprayed food is not going to effect them, but the science has already demonstrated that not only does the consumer become affected with medical symptoms over time, their offspring is also impacted, DNA is altered and even the growers who spray the produce are affected if they do not use precautions when spraying.
There is a lot of scientific research, academic papers, news articles, court cases, film documentaries… to demonstrate that there are specific factors that impact our health when we consume foods with pesticides and herbicides etc. Be informed.
