In our last post we covered the plant food and fertilizer labeling terms “Organic” and “OMRI Listed.” In our next post we’ll cover the term “Certified Organic.”
Today, we’ll address the moniker “All Natural,” for which there is no regulation.
There is a growing belief as society becomes greener that natural is always better – better for individual health and for the environment. For this reason, many companies use that term to entice you into buying their product.
Using the term “all natural” is not federally regulated and is used by companies as a marketing tool. Just how “natural” a product is and how beneficial it will be is largely determined by the company itself. Rather than muddying the waters further let me explain what Monty’s means when we use the term.
Some of our products, like our Liquid Carbon Organic Soil Conditioner, are OMRI listed for use in organic production. Some, like our fertility products, are not. However, we can tell you, in full confidence, that our plant food products are naturally-sourced and derived.
How important that distinction is to you will be based on your objectives. For example, if you are hoping to sell your vegetables in a local market as an organic product, then you could definitely use our Liquid Carbon Organic Soil Conditioners but we could not recommend our plant foods to you for that purpose.
However, if you are simply looking for a product with superior performance and that is not harmful to you, your family and animals, or the environment, then you can use our naturally-derived plant food products with confidence.
I hope this helps. I know it can be a bit overwhelming. For more assurance and to help you purchase with confidence I would encourage you to develop a relationship with an independent garden center retailer so they can help guide you to products — like Monty’s Plant and Soil Products — that will help you achieve your goals.
Listed below are some handy links to OMRI, USDA and organic growing websites. Also, refer to our post from June 6, for information about the terms “organic” and “OMRI listed.” And stay tuned for our next post about the term “certified organic.”
- 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.
