Organic labeling means using organic barley leaves and using a completely chemical free process. (See Organic label rules) If the label doesn't say "organic" then most likely the barleygrass was grown with chemicals or the process in drying or granulating the barleygrass juice into powder used some chemicals.
On October 21, 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture began enforcing a national set of standards governing use of the term "organic" on food labels. For the first time, consumers throughout the country will see a standard label and trust that the labeled product meets a minimum standard. What does this mean to you, a consumer of organic food?
The new USDA organic rule sets forth four categories, and label terms to designate them, depending on how much of the product is organic. The "USDA organic" seal can be displayed only on the top two -- products that are 95 to 100 percent organic.
USDA Rules
- 100 percent organic: Products that contain only organically produced ingredients
- Organic: Products that are 95 to 99 percent organic. Label can say "organic," as in "organic cookies." The 5 percent or less of such a product that isn't organic can't include a non-organic product if an organic one is available, and any synthetics must be on a list of approved synthetics.
- Made with organic ingredients: Products that are 70 to 94 percent organic (and whose nonagricultural ingredients all appear on that approved list).
- Products with less than 70 percent organic ingredients can list each organic ingredient ("organic grapes"), but only in the ingredient panel.