Organic Food

Organic food is grown without the use of pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic fertilizers, growth hormones or [irradiation. Organic food is a regulated category of food, and most countries have a set of guidelines and standards for what constitutes organically grown food. Farmers in the U.S. must be organically certified by the United States Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program. While once the purview of small family farms, big agriculture is now getting into the organic business. Fruits, vegetables and even meat are labeled organic in grocery stores, and there are also processed foods that carry an organic label. To carry such a label in the U.S., at least 95% of the ingredients have to be certified organic.

Eating organic food is thought to be one way to contribute positively to the environment, however, attention is also being paid to how far organic food is transported to get to the consumer. Local food, which uses fewer resources to get food to the consumer, is a growing movement, as well as sustainable farming, which is part of organic farming, but tries to ensure the impact of the farm on the environment is lessened.