About the Festival

Livestrong.com highlights the Organic Beauty & Wellness festival in their article about kid’s yoga sequences and fitness.”  (March 2017)

SoFlo Vegan supports the Organic Beauty & Wellness Festival

Email thescoop@obwfestival.com for more information.

Gallery and videos coming soon.

Certified Organic—There are certain classifications for organic food that meet strict standards set forth by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP).

The labeling guidelines presented by the USDA (organic products are bound to these standards only if they carry the USDA Organic Seal) are as follows:

• “100% Organic”—The product must contain (excluding water and salt) only organically produced ingredients. Products may display the USDA Organic Seal and must display the certifying agent’s name and address.
• “Organic”—The product must contain at least 95% organically produced ingredients (excluding water and salt). The remaining product ingredients must consist of non-agricultural substances approved on the National List of non-organically produced agricultural products that are not commercially available in organic form. Products may display the USDA Organic Seal and must display the certifying agent’s name and address.
• “Made with organic ingredients”—The product must contain at least 70% organic ingredients and the label can list up to three of the organic ingredients or “food” groups on the principal display panel. For example, body lotion made with at least 70% organic ingredients (excluding water and salt) and only organic herbs may be labeled either “body lotion made with organic lavender, rosemary, and chamomile,” or “body lotion made with organic herbs.” These products are not permitted to display the USDA Organic Seal, but they must display the certifying agent’s name and address.

These basic USDA guidelines are helpful if “organically grown” is important to you, but there are dozens of other unregulated “Certified Organic” agency seals, and all have varying standards and guidelines for what constitutes organic.

Certified Naturally Grown—A non-profit organization that supports smaller local farmers that cannot afford to participate in the national organic certification program.

Composting—Compost is composed of organic matter that is recycled back into the earth. Organic matter may include lawn clippings, vegetable scraps from the kitchen, and untreated papers. These materials are combined and become a nutrient-rich mixture that enriches the soil. are usually grown for one year or less. to Eco-conscious—Someone who is referred to as eco-conscious is conscious of the environment and the ecosystems that support it. People who are eco-conscious are aware of how our buying habits, living habits and eating habits impact the earth.

Fair Trade—Items that bear a fair trade label are internationally produced and include banana, pineapple, coffee, and chocolate that typically come from developing countries where workers aren’t always provided the best conditions. Fair trade labeling assures that farmers are paid better-than-conventional prices, are trained on sustainable agriculture practices, work directly with food cooperatives (co-ops), and are often organic.

Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA)—Established in 1996, the FQPA amendments changed the way the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates pesticides. The requirements included a new safety standard—reasonable certainty of no harm—that must be applied to all pesticides used on foods.

Genetically Engineered (GE)— Genetically engineered foods have had foreign genes inserted into their genetic codes. Genetic engineering can be done with plants, animals, or microorganisms. GE practices are sometimes referred to as bioengineered or biotechnology.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)—A plant, animal, or microorganism that is transformed by genetic engineering. A product that is the result of genetic engineering is called a “product of genetic engineering” or a “derivative of GMOs” depending on the circumstances. It is felt by some that the use of GM crops unnecessarily risks the health of the population and the environment due to insufficient knowledge to safely and predictably modify plant

Natural—Natural foods do not contain additives or preservatives but ingredients may have been grown using conventional farming methods or genetically engineered grain. Because natural products are not regulated, it is important not to confuse them with organic

National Organic Program (NOP)—In 1990, Congress passed the Organic Food Production Act, which called on the USDA to establish national standards for growing, processing, and marketing organic products. NOP was established to create a system of criteria for certifying organic food by the USDA. 
 

National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)—This group is a government-appointed panel that advises the National Organic Program to assist in the development of standards for substances to be used in organic production and to advise on any other aspects of the implementation of the National Organic Program.

No Preservatives—A product that is not made with any of the ingredients nitrates, nitrites, BHT, and sulfites.

Organic Farming—Agriculture that does not use chemicals, genetic modification, or irradiation, using only natural products. The term “organic farming” was first printed in the 1940 publication, Look to the Land, by Lord Northbourne. Not just a technique, but a philosophy, as well.

Organic Consumers Association (OCA)—A research and action center for the organic and fair trade movements that campaigns for what they refer to as health, justice, and sustainability. The OCA is a proponent of labeling for genetically engineered food.

Organic Matter—Any material that was recently living or produced by a living organism and is capable of being decomposed.

Organic Trade Association (OTA)—The Organic Trade Association is a membership-based business association that focuses on the organic business community in North America. The OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public, and the economy. The OTA is a member of IFOAM.

Paraben-Free—Used to describe products that do not have parabens, which are chemical preservatives added to personal-care products for extending shelf life, and widely used in tens of thousand of types of cosmetic products today. They are suspected of presenting risks to the reproductive system. The four main parabens in use are methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butylparabens.

Persistent Toxic Chemicals—Detrimental materials that remain active for a long time after their application and can be found in the environment years, and even decades, after they were used.

Pesticide—A general term for chemicals used to destroy living things that people consider pests. More specific terms include the following: “Insecticide,” a substance that kills insects; “herbicide,” a substance that kills plants/weeds; “fungicide,” a substance that kills fungi; “fumigant,” a substance that kills all organisms in the soil—a soil sterilizer; and “rodenticide,” a substance that kills rodents.

Sustainable—Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment, as with sustainable agriculture, which integrates three main goals: environmental stewardship, farm profitability, and prosperous farming communities. Sustainable development recognizes the need to work with living environments in a balanced manner.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)—The National Organic Program (NOP) was created under the aegis of the USDA.

All this information is provided by www.organic.com. For more information, please visit their website for great resources and news in our industry.