In class, we frequently discuss "organic" food and what that truly implies, but what about food for our pets? When walking through the pet aisle, there are an increasing number of pet foods and treats that are labelled as "natural" or "organic". Which begs the question-- do the supposed benefits of organic foods transfer to our pets' foods as well? It seems like every couple months a new recall is announced is the pet industry. I know a lot of people, including myself, care for pets like a family member and do not want to feed them anything harmful, but is organic food the way to go?
A recent news story detailed the rise of organics in pet products, and found that there are no restrictions for pet food labelling like there are for human food. Therefore, the term organic can be used quite loosely. Many of the pet products that are sold use words such as "natural" or "organic" as marketing tactics, feeding off of peoples' desires to do what is best for their pet. However, the ingredients list should be scrutinized, not the name or front of the bag. For more from the news article, see the link below.
http://www.azfamily.com/news/consumer/Is-organic-pet-food-worth-the-price-180851061.html
However, the USDA does certify pet products as organic if they meet standards for human consumption. So although a pet food carrying the term organic may not necessarily be organic, "USDA Organic Certified" products are judged at the same standards that the human food products are.
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