Eat Organic? How Do You Check Up On Companies?

I’ve always been one to prefer quality over quantity, so I’ll occasionally buy some products organic and/or free range (eggs and chicken, duh). But it does sort of irk me that, if I even remember to check, most of the info I can find on different brands is from their own site – of course they’re going to tell me every chicken gets a waterbed and a daily massage. And after reading one of Michael Pollan’s books, I’m aware that terms like ‘free range’ can evoke one scene (happy chickens in the sun) and mean another (access to a tiny, paved lot outside).

I know there are sites that tell you what food are worth getting organic, for health reasons, and what different labels mean (though this varies by state and country) – **Is there a site that rates different brands and farms? **Actual photos, maybe, translating some of the legal speak, maybe airing dirty laundry? I’m not actually that obsessed with organic, per se – I’m happier to buy non-organic from local farms I’ve visited – but it’d be nice to know if I’m getting fleeced at the grocery store.

These 2 are pretty good -

greenpeople

Organic Consumers Association

But you are absolutely right on with your statement about buying from your local farms. And that’s probably the best way to already know about the people producing whatever you are buying, especially your produce, eggs, meat, etc. They are your local businesses and they have a local reputation.