Frequently Asked Questions

What is Organic?

According to the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, Organic Foods denotes any food item, Raw(Fruits and Vegetables), Processed(Cereals, etc), produced by an agricultural practice that strictly regulates and/or prohibits the use of GMO(Genetically Modified Organism) seeds, Synthetic or Chemical Pesticides- Herbicides or Germicides, rBGH(recombinant Bovine Growth Hormones) on consumable livestock products, Sewage Sludge, and/or Irradiation, to name a few.

Labelled "Organic"?

Rules, regulations and guidelines set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture(USDA), further breaks-down the 3 levels or times when a food product can contain the word 'Organic' in its name:

Made with Organic Ingredients-
-denotes food products that contain at least 70% Organic ingredients, excluding water and salt. A label reading 'Made with Organic Ingredients' can appear on the primary display panel, however, a USDA organic seal cannot be used on these classification of products.
Organic-
- denotes products that are or contain at least 95% organic, excluding water and salt. A label reading 'Organic' and the UDSA organic seal can appear on the package. The 5% non-organic must be from materials that are not available as organic, or non-agricultural materials approved on the national list.
Certified Organic-
- means the item has been grown according to strict uniform standards that are verified by Independent, State or Private Organizations. Certification includes inspection of farm fields and and processing facilities, detailed record kepping, and periodic testing of soil and water to ensure that growers and handlers are meeting the Organic standards set forth.
Need more Information:
There are many information sources on Organic regulations, etc. online, including the USDA National Organic Program website at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop

Organic vs 'All-Natural'
All-Natural is not Organic, but Organic is 'All-Natural and a whole lot more. We now know what Organic is and means, now lets break-down the "all-natural" claims. All-Natural is a specific claim by a processor or manufacturer that the particular food product was produced with minimal processing and that its free of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives such as 'nitrates' and artificial sweetners. To further clarify the point, 'all-natural' products do not undergo the same inspection, regulations and Certification requirement as does the Organic and Certified Organic Products. These 'all-natural' products are or may also be labelled as hormone-free or antibiotic-free, where animal products are concerned.

Where does your Produce come from?"
Papa's Organic believes that produce is not Organic Produce unless it is fresh and of the highest quality. To achieve this goal, our first order of business is to find Local Organic Farmers(from California) that are passionate about their Fruits and/or Vegetables and develop relationships. We at Papa's Organic say that "to get any fresher Organic Produce, you will have to grow them yourself"
Whenever necessary, we deal with small farm-direct companies so that we may bring more diverse organic fruits and vegetables from around the nation to your table. with Papa's Organic, you can feel confident about out commitment you, our customers, our local economy and high quality Organic Produce.

Why do Organic Produce look different?"
When the strict rules and regulations that govern Organic Farming are adhered to, some Organic Fruit and Vegetables may sometimes look different when compared to it non-organic conterpart. This is due to the fact that Organic Produce have not been, from the seed level, 'engineered' and/or farmed to look 'perfect'. The true beauty of organic foods lie in what is not readily visible- clean, nutritious, void of chemical toxins(pesticides, etc) and it is a food of LOVE.

Why do Organic Foods cost more than Conventional?"
Organic Farming is not subsidized by the US government as it is done for conventional farmers. Prices of organic foods reflect many of the same costs as conventional foods in terms of growing, harvesting, transportation and storage, however, Organically produced foods must meet stricter regulations governing all of these steps. Organic Farming truly a 'labor of love,' and is often more labor and management-intensive with increase cost of compost and physical harvesting labor, and farming tends to be on a smaller scale. There is also mounting evidence that if all the indirect costs of conventional food production—cleanup of polluted water, replacement of eroded soils, costs of health care for farmers and their workers, not to mention the consumer—were factored into the price of food, organic foods would be considerably cheaper. As more people switch to organic foods, more and more farms will move to achieve certification, which in turn will further reduce the cost of Organic Foods.

Can Beef and Poultry be truly Organic?"
The answer is YES! USDA Organic Standards and Regulations which prohibit the use of Antibiotics and Growth Hormone, such as rBGH(Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) on, to be certified, Organic Livestock also mandates a certain minimum lifestyle for these animals. These organic regulations demand, at the very least, that those animals be given adequate outdoor access, approved organic feeds and be inspected by a third party certification body, approved by the USDA, prior to an Organic Certification.