‘Organic’ Labels Need Simplifying

Phil Lempert’s article “ ‘Organic’ on the Label? Read Very Carefully” (Sept. 4) was read by me very carefully, because the organic food industry has made a simple labeling situation complicated and deceiving. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s response to make organic labeling more uniform, however, belies common sense. It has proposed one label called “100% organic,” and another just called “organic,” but the “organic” label only means 95% organic. Wouldn’t it make more sense to use the “organic” label for 100% organic foods, and “95% organic” for foods 95% organic and above? The proposal just requires more label translation by the consumer. I thought that’s what they were trying to eliminate.

MICHAEL ADAMS

Pacific Palisades