Since 2002, the term “organic” has been defined and regulated under federal law. In New Hampshire, the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food is authorized by the US Department of Agriculture to certify NH farms.
Interestingly, the federal law only defines what organic agriculture is NOT. The regulations don’t tell organic farms what to do or how to do it. Instead, the regulations provide very specific details in regards to what organic farms cannot do. For consumers, this approach makes a certain amount of sense. Consumers of organic produce know they are NOT getting genetically modified crops (no GMOs, for example), they are NOT getting chemically treated seeds, crops doused with chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or persistent toxic pesticides that contaminate air, soil, water and people. Organic consumers know their food has not been irradiated, sprayed with raw manure, or contaminated during shipment by proximity to conventional produce.