Knowing these key pieces of information about organic food is your first step to understanding all its great benefits.

1) Learn what "organic" means.

The term "Organic" refers to how agricultural products are grown and processed. to be classified as organic, food must be grown without the use of harsh synthetic chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers (among other things). Animal products, such as meat, eggs and dairy, would need to be hormone and antibiotic-free to be considered organic. 

Most groceries found in supermarkets are not organic, which means they may contain some of the substances mentioned above. Organic food is healthier for you, and for the environment.

2) If it isn’t certified, it isn’t organic.

Organic food is the most highly regulated food in Canada, with every farm, producer, processor and distributor inspected at least once per year. Certification and inspection costs are paid out of pocket by the producers, who work in partnership with the Canada Food inspection Agency to ensure that food labelled organic is truly organic. 

If an organic claim does not include a certificate, ask the seller for proof. Find out who it’s certified by, where the food is produced and what methods they use. The Organic Box is certified organic by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. (Pro-Cert).

3) It’s better for everyone.

There is more to health than just reduced chemical ingestion and better nutrition. Conventional food practices use extensive chemical applications, which are hazardous for both farm workers and the soil. Organic foods are synthetic chemical-free, which means they are grown without artificial pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fumigation. Simply put, they are better for you, grown with the tools from nature.

Everything we source serves a greater purpose. Because it is locally grown, all proceeds stay within the community. Because it is certified organic, it is good for you and the planet. And because it is in your box, you can be certain it belongs on your plate.

4) There is a difference between price and value.

The cost of organic food may be slightly higher than conventional food items, but with good reason. The price of food is directly correlated to the number of labour hours spent on production. Because organic farmers don’t rely on mechanical and chemical inputs at the same level as conventional production, it is much more labour-intensive. 

The Organic Box’s prices are set by the farmers themselves, and are based on the cost of production and living wages for farm workers. We account for all external costs of our food, including our commitment to providing our own warehouse, delivery and farm workers with living wages, health benefits and retirement savings.   

5) Know where your money goes.

It is rare to think about where the money goes beyond the cash register at a supermarket. When you buy our organic food, more of your money goes to the actual growers of that food rather than the shareholders and banks behind the large grocery stores. This enables your food dollars to have a significant impact on farming families. 

The Organic Box cares about where your food dollar is going and works hard to ensure it stays in the communities producing the food. For us, it is important to support organic producers providing an economic benefit to their own communities.