This is great to know!
For a while I was buying only "organic" labeled fruits and vegetables, but then I gave up on that because I could hardly notice the difference between that and the non-organic kind. Of course, it helps that I am old enough to remember what the real stuff feels, smells and tastes like. What I didn't know, is to what extent the "organic certified" industry is manipulated by the USDA. What are the chances they actually stick to the program? Slim.
So as of today, I'm on a new mission to find "naturally grown" produce.
Naturally Grown: An Alternative Label to Organic
Justine and Brian Denison say they adhere to all the growing practices required for organic certification, yet if they label their beans and tomatoes "organic" at the farmer's market, they could face federal charges and $20,000 or more in fines.Because the Denisons chose not to seek organic certification by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Denison Farm, which has been under organic management for more than 20 years, is banned from using that term. So they and hundreds of other small direct-marketing farms across the country have adopted an alternative label: Certified Naturally Grown. [read more here]