What is the difference between plant food or fertilizer labels that read “
Organic” and “All Natural?”
Derek, Calera, Alabama
Derek:
That is a good question and one that can be a bit confusing, so I’m going to address “Organic” in this post, “All Natural” in the next posting and “Certified Organic” in yet a third blog post. Let’s look at “organic” first. It should be understood, as your question implies that there is definitely a difference between “all natural” and “organic” when it comes to plant food or fertilizers – and especially food products. The terms are not interchangeable.
Organic fertilizers come from all-natural sources such as selected animal manures, mined rock powders, blood meal, feather meal, cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal, bone meal, fish extracts and seaweed by-products. Simply put, organic fertilizers are derived from animal or vegetable matter. Beyond that simple definition, though, things get a bit confusing.
The federal government has attempted to implement regulations on what it means to be “organic,” primarily with regard to the production of food and fiber. A fertilizer company could place the word “organic” on most any fertilizer product it chooses to, and some do. After all, as we become a much “greener” society, these types of words have great power in the marketplace. In these cases the word really has little meaning at all, and may only refer to the fact that there is organic — or carbon-based — content, without any verification that all of the ingredients meet specifications set out by the National Organic Program (see below). Therefore, the burden of proof and the task of sorting out these claims is on the government and the consumer.
Second — and this is where it gets even more confusing — is determining just how organic is “organic.” For example, a company could blend cow manure with water and claim it is organic and it would be. But the products produced by that fertilizer still may not qualify under the guidelines of the National Organic Program (NOP) instituted by the federal government. This is where the organization known as the Organic Materials Research Institute (OMRI) 
comes in. OMRI is an independent, non-profit institution which serves as the gatekeeper for products which meet the requirements of the NOP. Input products cannot be labeled “certified organic“: rather, OMRI uses the term “OMRI Listed” for products which may be used in the production of organic food and fiber, under the guidelines of the NOP. Furthermore, the term “certified organic” can only legally apply to food or fiber products.
Use of the term “organic” on fertilizers is generally not regulated. Some of the products listed by OMRI are not, in fact, organic. Due to a provision in their guidelines for becoming “OMRI Listed,” a non-organic product can be a listed product if no close, non-synthetic substitute exists.
Let’s try to summarize.
- Products that claim to be organic may or may not be.
- OMRI lists certain “raw materials” which may be used in the production of organic finished goods, but they do not technically certify the input products. All they do is say this material will not disqualify the end product from participation in the National Organic Program.
- The National Organic Program certifies producers and products, but only of finished goods, i.e., food and fiber.
- In the end, much of what is meant by the term organic is based on the reliability of the company making the claim.
If you are looking for a product that you can use with confidence in your lawn or garden, buy from a reputable dealer who sells products from reliable companies, and look for the “OMRI Listed” designation . Even at that, though, Caveat Emptor!
Stay tuned for our next blog post about the term “All Natural.” In the meantime, here are some handy links:
- OMRI – information that organic farmers, handlers, certifiers, and other members of the organic community might find useful.
- USDA National Organic Program – organic standards, certification and accreditation, plus compliance and enforcement links.
- USDA Organic Roots Collection – electronic collection of historic documents published before 1942 – a time before synthetic chemicals became widely used. Find state-of-the-art information and data that is still pertinent for today’s organic and sustainable agriculture.
- HowToGoOrganic.com – The Organic Trade Association offers this resource to help cultivate the growth of organic farming.
Quality content is the secret to invite the visitors to pay a visit the web page, that’s
what this web site is providing.
It’s truly a nice and useful piece of information. I’m happy that you
simply shared this useful info with us. Pleasxe keep us informed like
this. Thank you for sharing.
This blog was… how do I say it? Relevant!!
Finally I have found something which helped me. Thanks a lot!
Prettry nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted
to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your
blog posts. In any case I will be subscribing to your feed annd I hope you write again soon!
Don’t Wait to Lose Weight!
It is sometimes easy to forget what you are losing thee weight for.
When you firsat start losing weight, there is usually a little flurry of
weight loss that is very encouraging. Then you tend
to hit a plateau, and this can cause you to feel discouaged
and lose interest in your project. You may notice others
who are losing weight at a quicker pace and showing more progression. Naturally, you’ll question why they
are getting those results, and you aren’t. What are thy doing to stay
on top of things?
Idenntifying your goal is thhe first step in a successful weight loss program.
Think about whether you want too lose a few pounds, or whether you want
to drop an entire clothing size. You should figure out exactly why you waant to lose weight.
Know whaat your weight losws goals are. It can be as specific as a set amount
of weight you want tto lose, or as general aas overall fitness.
Keep tabs on your weight loss every week. If you keep a weight loss journal, you can look back and track your progress.
Keep all of your diet information in thhe same book.
By joting down your food intake on a daily basis, you are more likely to stick with the program
because you are holding yourself responsible. The fact that you have to
write it down may keep you from wanting it.
It can bee really hard to make wise choices about what to eat when you starved.
If you want tto stay away from this danger, plan out your meals in advnce and have
healthy snacks handy. Pack a healthy lunch and brown-bag it instead of eating out to both
save money and enjoy a more nutritious meal.
Every succesful and healthful weight loss plan combines reasonable exercise and a balanced eating plan. If you
schedule time out of your busy schedule eachh week for a
workout, you will gain more energy. If the thought of a structured exercise regimen is
a little daunting, think about aan activityy that you enjoy and go with that.
Some fun and entertaining exercoses that will help someone lose weight are walking with friends,
learning how to salsa, or evwn just taking a hike.
Everyone knows that if there is no junk food in your house
it will keep you from eating it. Keeep your
house full of delicious, low-calorie treats,
such as trail mix, fruits and vegetables, and nuts.
Avoid purchasing the foods you should not have
so it will not be in your cupboards when you
are hungry. Don’t even buy it when you are at the grocery
store!
Get help from your friends. You will soon find out that they are ready and waiting
for thee opportunity to helkp you overcome your immediate problem.
If yyou are surrounded by an encouraging support group then it is easy to
stay on track. These people can provide the extra incentive to continue pushing onward.
Don’t hesitate to contact them if yoou are having a rough time.