For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s All About Organics page and our The Myth of Natural Campaign page.

What do genetically engineered soybeans, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and chickens raised with the use of antibiotics all have in common? They are all in products that come with ‘all-natural’ labels.

Now arguably of course, there’s nothing remotely ‘natural’ about many conventional (non-GMO) crop breeding techniques, while corn refiners would argue that sugar from beets is no more ‘natural’ than HFCS.

However, any organic food producers who are subject to very stringent rules, unlike firms using the term ‘natural’ on food labels – feel that consumers are being duped, and that ‘natural’ – the most emotive word in food marketing – is being used and abused by opportunistic marketers.

To remind consumers that ‘organic’ means something concrete, whereas ‘natural’ is rather more nebulous*, Annie’s, Earthbound Farms, Organic Valley, Rudi’s, and Stonyfield Farm – among others- have teamed up to launch a new campaign.

Organic means something concrete; natural is rather more nebulous…

In videos developed by non-profit Organic Voices, shoppers are told that organic foods are subject to stringent environmental and animal welfare standards enforced by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), while natural claims are not underpinned by anything except non-legally-binding guidance* from the FDA – which, they claim is not being inforced.