For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s All About Organics page and our The Myth of Natural page.

Certified organic … chemical free … dolphin-safe … the stamps and slogans on food labels make a lot of promises, but can they back it up? Audobon magazine breaks down which labels are meaningful and which are USDA-certified bull crap.

These labels can’t be used without independent verification:

 USDA Organic 
Fair Trade 
Rainforest Alliance 
Food Alliance 
Demeter Biodynamic 
Salmon-Safe 
Bird Friendly 
Certified Humane Raised and Handled 
FishWise 
Non-GMO Project Verified 
Healthy Grown Potatoes

These should be taken with a grain of salt — they may mean something, but they don’t have to:

Raised Without Antibiotics 
Natural 
Free Range 
Grass Fed 
Nutri Clean Residue Free Certification 
Marine Stewardship Council