Santa Cruz Organic

• Why Choose Organic? »
• Certified Organic - A Brief History »
• Cooking with Organic 100% Lemon Juice »
• Cranberries - The Native American Fruit

1. Organic Products Meet Stringent Standards: Organic certification is the public's assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures, without chemical inputs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's certified organic seal lets consumers know which products are certified organic, and assures them that the products have met government standards.

2. Organic Food Tastes Great: T It's common sense: Well-balanced soils grow strong, healthy plants, which taste great!

3. Organic Farms Respect Our Water Resources: The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources.

4. Organic Farmers Build Soil: Soil is the primary focus of organic farming. By building soil, organic growers help prevent soil erosion, which has become a major problem in U.S. agricultural centers.

5. Organic Farmers Work in Harmony with Nature: Soil is the primary focus of organic farming. By building soil, organic growers help prevent soil erosion, which has become a major problem in U.S. agricultural centers.

6. Organic Producers Are Leaders in Innovative Research: Organic farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative on-farm research aimed at minimizing agriculture's impact on the environment.

7. Organic Producers Strive to Preserve Diversity: The loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) can have unforeseen and detrimental effects on our environment. Organic farmers and gardeners have been collecting and preserving seeds, and growing unusual varieties for decades.

8. Organic Farming Helps Keep Rural Communities Healthy: Organic farming may be one of the few survival tactics left for the family farm and the rural community. By choosing organic practices, farmers create a value-added product that can be sold at a premium.

9. Organic Is Abundant: Now every food category has an organic alternative. And nonfood agricultural products are being grown organically — even cotton, which most experts felt couldn't happen.

10. Organic Producers Are Leaders in Innovative Research: Organic farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative on-farm research aimed at minimizing agriculture's impact on the environment.