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Okay, once again pulling out previous job experience dealing with animal feeds and natural vs organics, here's somethings to chew on.
My good friend with the doctorate in animal nutrition is also a huge proponante of organics even going so far as being the director of the state's organic certification board.
Each and every state in the US has the ability to create their own rules for organic certification. Some have multiple entites that certifiy and that creates even more confusion.
Yes organic is more expensive. The reason is that there is no reliable way to mass produce the product. Smaller farms are established because larger mass quantities of animals set up situations for disease issues. Smaller farms also do not have the mass buying power of a larger producer. The basics on organics to start with is that you have to have the livestock or grain production on ground that for a min of 3 years has no pesticides, herbicides or what ever used on them. Each year you have to produce records, be inspected and certified. Processing can only happen in facilities that are certified, same with any transporting farm to table. That's why it's more expensive.
Natural is a word thrown around too liberally. For the most part, many who feel that the certification process is too hard to deal with or unrealistic will label and can label their product as natural. Small Farmer's Journal, recent additon, has a wonderful story about Apple Family Farms, that explains a lot of this. You have to be very careful on that word and investigate as best as you can. Many just like to throw it around because they can and it's the in thing to use.
Organic produce used in any food that is labeled organic must be able to provide proof of organic certification if asked.
Currently we are attempting to go natural with our ducks with the hope in 3-5 years of having an organic flock. Dogs-well, will be as natural as we can but it's hard with them.
So anyone with any more questions--shoot them on over and I will try to answer as best as possible.
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