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You Are What You Eat

carrots
These days, it’s not enough for produce to be labeled “locally grown.”  People want to know how certain items were raised, sometimes before they’ll even buy them. But for those unfamiliar with such practices, the terminology can be confusing. Here are definitions of some of the most common words spotted at local farmers’ markets.

Organic  Produce is deemed “certified organic” by the Rhode Island Division of Agriculture only if the grower has been inspected by the state DEM and adheres to the organic producer standards of the USDA. Organic food is grown without the use of conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, bioengineering or ionizing radiation. Compost, crop rotating, mineral powers and other natural products maintain soil fertility and plant health.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Farmers use the IPM approach to control pests that disrupt crop production. The complex IPM process can include trapping devices, natural predators (insects that eat other insects), and mating disruption substances such as pheromones.

CSA Community Supported Agriculture, known by its initials CSA, is a subscription to the items a farm produces during the growing season. Often about twenty weeks in duration, a CSA allows the public to make a direct commitment to a farm for a season, usually from late spring to early fall. In return, the farmer provides shareholders, or subscribers, a weekly basket of produce. Some even include meat, cheese, eggs, honey and flowers. Farmers ask CSA members to pay an up-front fee, and some growers require that shareholders work on the farm a few hours during the season.

Fair Trade If a company negotiates directly with growers or producers of products to establish fair prices for the product, then it is labeled fair trade. A practice that supports social justice, it is usually identified with the coffee industry and ensures that marginalized or disadvantaged producers receive commensurate pay for goods.

Free Range or Pasture-raised Animals are not confined to enclosures and are able to roam freely.

Grass-fed Animals are allowed to graze in the pasture for the majority of their diet, rather than only ingest grain, such as corn, from mass feeding troughs.
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- May, 2008

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