BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 18, 2024
As the organic movement grows into an increasingly valuable industry and national standards are adopted, ideological and political disagreements are being raised about what an “organic” label can, or should, certify. The USDA has allowed hydroponic farms that grow produce in water, and “confined animal feeding operations” — commonly known as factory farms, which give animals little or no access to pasture — to be certified organic. To many small growers who see “organic” as a complete system that focuses on soil health and animal welfare, that’s a betrayal. One way they’re pushing back is by adding a certification from the Real Organic Project, which evaluates them with stricter standards and openly opposes the USDA’s practices. In Maine, 59 farms are listed on Real Organic Project’s directory, out of more than 1,000 nationwide.