An end to organic confusion?

Any amount of information that brings the consumer closer to a deeper understanding of where his or her food comes from, he says, is progress. For this reason, and because he is in favor of a consistent set of standards, he supports the new law.

Debra Stark, a small-business owner in the retail field, is also enthusiastic about the new law – although with just a few days left to conform, she is feeling a bit daunted by it.

At Debra's Natural Gourmet, her natural foods store and deli in Concord, Mass., Ms. Stark strives to stock her shelves with only organic products. But sometimes, she says, they are just not available. And, at the moment, conventionally grown foods share the shop's walk-in refrigerator with those that are organic.

But not after Oct. 21, although that's a puzzle she is still trying to solve. "To do this correctly, we have to have two different walk-ins," she says. "What's a small store to do?"

Another conundrum, she adds, is that of labeling homemade soups or salads in her deli. "If we have to have paperwork for every ingredient, say, in my organic Cuban black bean soup, then we will probably just have to say it is 'mostly organic.' "

Despite the extra efforts, Stark remains upbeat. "There have always been people who have not taken organics seriously because it hasn't been a federally regulated industry," she says. "Now we can point to this law for credibility, and people will believe it."

While many believe the national organic standards are progress for the industry and for consumers, they also see that it will take some time to adjust to them.

"It'll be like Day 1 at a new company," says Barbara Haumann of the Organic Trade Association. "Quirks will have to be worked out."

The bottom line, she says, is that "the world is not going to change on Oct. 21. It will take some time for this to sugar off, as we say in Vermont."

There is still more work to be done to bring greater consistency and integrity to the organics industry. Next up for a look by the feds, Smillie says, are items such as fibers – silk, wool, and cotton; personal-care items including shampoo, lotions, and lipsticks; and even organic dog food.

These websites are a good place to learn more about the new organic regulations:

• USDA – www.ams.usda.gov/nop

• Consumer site of the Organic Trade Association, a group of growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, and others in the organic food industry. www.theorganicreport.org

• Quality Assurance International, global certifiers for organic foods. www.qai-inc.com

• Whole Foods Markets. www.wholefoodsmarket.com

The official definition of "organic" now is: "Organic agriculture is an ecological production-management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony."

The new organic standards forbid the use of toxic or persistent chemicals, antibiotics in meat and poultry, as well as irradiation, sewage sludge, or genetically modified organisms. They also require 100 percent organic feed for livestock.

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