Is Organic or Non GMO Better? The Truth about Food Labelling

Saint John’s cows grazing on our organic June pastures.

Foods at the supermarket commonly have a variety of labels, including gluten free, kosher, vegan, Organic, and non-GMO. These labels all have distinct qualifications and independent labeling and verification processes. The aim of this article is to help distinguish between USDA certified Organic and the Non-GMO Project’s “non-GMO” label.

Organic vs. non-GMO: Different goals, different requirements

Organic and non-GMO are often sought-after, important labels that many consumers trust when making purchases. While both labels are a step forward from conventional food, they are distinct labels striving to meet different goals.

Non-GMO Project Certification

Non-GMO certification is regulated by the Non-GMO Project and verified with NSF International. The mission of the non-GMO Project is to build and protect a non-GMO food supply. The Non-GMO Project describes itself as a “single issue organization” with a single issue label, which is to inform consumers about the absence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in products meeting its standard.

Non-GMO Project requires that a product be verified by third party inspectors and testing laboratories to be compliant with their standard. This includes ingredients part of a product, diets fed to meat, egg, and dairy livestock, and possibility of contamination or contact with GMOs during the harvesting and processing of foods set for the supermarket.

This means that a food meeting the Non-GMO Project standard and sporting the non-GMO label could have been sprayed with glyphosate and other toxicants, and thus wouldn’t be organic. For example, eggs with a non-GMO label come from chickens fed a non-GMO diet, but those chickens could have been raised completely indoors in an unnatural caged animal feeding operation (CAFO).

Clear summer day behind the barn.

USDA Organic Certification

The goal of Organics is to preserve soil health, steward the earth, and grow the most healthful foods without the presence of toxicants. Organic certification is run directly by the governments of the United States and Canada. In the United States, Organic is certified by the USDA.

In order to proudly display the USDA organic label, a product must be free of additives, synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and be non-GMO. For meat to be classified as organic, the USDA requires “animals must be raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.”

Additionally, “The use of genetic engineering, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is prohibited in organic products. This means an organic farmer can’t plant GMO seeds, an organic cow can’t eat GMO alfalfa or corn, and an organic soup producer can’t use any GMO ingredients.

To meet the USDA organic regulations, farmers and processors must show they aren’t using GMOs and that they are protecting their products from contact with prohibited substances from farm to table.”

This is good news! All products with a USDA Organic label are also non-GMO.

While non-GMO is a label independent of Organic and doesn’t verify the absence of toxicants, the non-GMO label is an important step in the right direction to ensure our communities can make informed decisions about their food. Non-GMO Verified is a step in the right direction, and Organic is even better. One of the most powerful ways we vote is with our dollar. By choosing non-GMO and Organic, we are choosing a better future for ourselves and our planet.

Why Organic Matters

Curious Saint John’s cows enjoying the organic, lush pasture.

What is organic?

In order to proudly display the USDA organic label, a product must be free of additives, synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and be non-GMO. For meat to be classified as organic, theUSDA requires “animals must be raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.”

Why choose organic?

Organic food used to be the standard, the way our great-grandparents and earlier ancestors ate. It wasn’t called “organic food”, rather, it was just “food.” Today, our conventionally, industrially grown food has been contaminated through the use of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, and additives. Instead of being a source of nutrition for our bodies and families, conventionally grown food has been shown to harm our health by increasing our toxic load, promoting inflammation, altering our microbiome, and possibly increasing cancer risk. By choosing organic, we choose pure and nutritious foods that restore our health and enable us to live to our fullest potential.

Why buy organic meat?

Saint John’s cows on a beautiful day.

Sourcing high-quality animal foods is important because the pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones an animal is exposed to are present in the meat we consume.

1. The animals are fed 100% organic food.

In conventional agriculture, many animals are fed diets that are unnatural for the species and food that does little to promote good health in the animal. The lack of quality nutrition for animals in addition to poor living conditions necessitate the use of antibiotics and other drugs to keep animals alive and growing. At Saint John's Organic Farm, we take the greatest care in feeding our cows a 100% grass-fed and grass-finished diet that is free of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and commercial fertilizers. They receive natural health care that avoids antibiotics, stimulants, and growth hormones, and they are looked after by our family. This care creates exceptionally healthy animals that yield the highest quality beef.

2. Free of antibiotics and other drugs

Preventative antibiotic administration is a matter of routine in much of the livestock industry, especially for beef. The overuse of antibiotics in conventional agriculture may be a major contributor to poor gut health in Americans and the development of "super-bugs" that are antibiotic-resistant. Steroids are also commonly given to increase the rate animals grow in order to improve profit margins.

3. Avoiding additives

Many meat producers inject their meat with a solution of water, salt, and sodium phosphate in order to add moisture, improve meat tenderness, and extend shelf life. These additives are not permitted under the USDA's organic label, and avoiding them is likely beneficial to human health.

4. GMO-free

By choosing meat that is certified organic, you are choosing meat that comes from an animal that is not genetically modified and is fed a diet that is not genetically modified.

5. Animals are humanely raised

Because the USDA requires certified organic meat to come from animals with "living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors", these livestock are much more likely to be raised in a humane way. At Saint John's Organic Farm, our cows are raised on diverse pasture grass, sunshine, and quality care from our family.

6. Environmental preservation

Conventionally grown meat uses an abundance of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers that deplete soil and harm the surrounding environment. Our grazing practices add to the fertility and health of our soil, instead of constantly taking nutrients that need to be replaced with synthetic fertilizer. We use less fossil fuel, have less water runoff, and run into fewer pest problems than our industrial counterparts. As providers for people and caretakers of the earth, we seek what is best for you and the world we inhabit, and will continue to offer a vision of sustainable agriculture for future generations.

How to Shop for Organic Produce

Source: Wellness Mama

It is possible to greatly reduce exposure to pesticides and herbicides from produce by sticking to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen list. The EWG created these lists by looking at the spraying practices of conventional agriculture and also testing produce from supermarket shelves.

In summary, organic, grass fed beef is superior for our health, the planet, and for future generations.

Grass Fed Beef Benefits: Health

In recent years, we’ve all learned how what we eat affects our health and well-being. The quality of our food, especially protein sources, determines what is available for our body to heal, recover, and grow. Here are some of the benefits of choosing organic, grass fed beef, as it relates to health.

Saint John’s Organic Farm cows grazing on summertime grass.

Grass fed beef is more nutrient dense than grain fed beef. Grass fed beef is 10 times higher in vitamin A, 3 times higher in vitamin E, and substantially higher in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins in comparison to grain fed beef. Grass fed beef is lower in cholesterol, and it’s rich in stearic acid, which lowers cholesterol.

Grass fed beef is an abundant source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), an important group of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. CLA has strong anticancer properties, encourages the buildup of muscle, and prevents weight gain. When cows are fed their natural diet and given quality, individualized care, they are able to provide us with an abundance of life-supporting nutrition.

There is a notable difference in the toxic load between conventional and organic beef. Organic beef has no risk of GMOS, synthetic fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, or the notoriously harmful glyphosate. “Animal products pose a multiplied scenario – animals fed and fattened on corn, soybean, and alfalfa feed are basically accumulating and concentrating glyphosate, as well as other toxins including animal antibiotics.” - Dr. Zach Bush, MD

Maintaining health affects every aspect of our lives. When we are adequately nourished, we feel invigorated and have energy to pursue our life’s purpose and connect deeply in relationships. When we are ill, we feel and perform poorly, and health issues can have a significant impact on mood and emotional health. Ultimately, there is a financial cost associated with health, for better or worse. Healthy people have reduced medical bills, fewer lost days at work; they are happier people who are fruitful. Children with adequate nutrition have higher test scores and fewer behavioral problems. Because food is preventative ‘medicine’, there is an economic advantage to investing in your health. The phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” comes to mind.

Pikaberry enjoying the sunshine.

Health starts at the cellular level, ultimately through nutrition. Our beef is packed with essential nutrients to power you and your family to live and love your life. If you want to boost your health, strength, and vitality, give our organic grass fed beef a try!