organic-101: can GMO's be used in organic products?


 The use of genetic engineering, or GMO is prohibited in organic products.

  To meet the USDA organic  regulations, farmers and processors must show that they are not using GMO,  from farm to table

The gist is:
No matter where it was grown, if a product has the USDA organic label on it,  it was not produced with GMO......
Read more at.....

The use of genetic engineering, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is prohibited in organic products. This means an organic farmer can’t plant GMO seeds, an organic cow can’t eat GMO alfalfa or corn, and an organic soup producer can’t use any GMO ingredients. To meet the USDA organic regulations, farmers and processors must show they aren’t using GMOs and that they are protecting their products from contact with prohibited substances, such as GMOs, from farm to table. - See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/05/17/organic-101-can-gmos-be-used-in-organic-products/#sthash.ZsV50ZYq.dpuf


Any certified organic operation found to use prohibited substances or GMOs may face enforcement actions, including loss of certification and financial penalties. However, unlike many pesticides, there aren’t specific tolerance levels in the USDA organic regulations for GMOs. - See more at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/05/17/organic-101-can-gmos-be-used-in-organic-products/#sthash.ZsV50ZYq.dpuf

Produce label tricks to know their origins

You can buy a fruit or a veggie from any market, but always pay attention to the produce codes on the labels.

FOUR DIGIT NUMBERS (they all begin with 3 or 4) denote conventionally grown, non-GMO produce (that is, grown with chemical pesticides and fertilizers but not genetically modified)
FIVE DIGITS BEGINNING WITH AN 8 means the produce is GMO, genetically modified
FIVE DIGITS BEGINNING WITH A 9 means it is ORGANIC

so definitely stay away from the number 8's :)
http://www.plucodes.com/docs/IFPS-plu_codes_users_guide.pdf