Not to sound argumentative but
Every province, state, and country has their own definition of "organic" Here you need to be certified and there are a lot of certified organic people lately who are "ratting" on their non-certified competition making them change from the name "organic" to something worded slightly different or pay penalties.
If I wanted to be organic, I would have to buy seeds from somewhere certified organic and my land must be managed using organic practices for 36 months prior to harvest of the first certified organic crop.
"Organic farming is a method of crop and livestock production that involves much more than choosing not to use certain pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, and growth hormones that are not permitted by organic standards.
The general principles of organic production, from Canada's Organic Standards, 2006, include the following:
protect the environment, minimize soil degradation and erosion, decrease pollution, optimize biological productivity and promote a sound state of health
maintain long-term soil fertility by optimizing conditions for biological activity within the soil
maintain biological diversity within the system
recycle materials and resources to the greatest extent possible within the enterprise
provide attentive care that promotes the health and meets the behavioural needs of livestock
prepare organic products, emphasizing careful processing, and handling methods in order to maintain the organic integrity and vital qualities of the products at all stages of production
rely on renewable resources in locally organized agricultural systems"
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/06-103.htm
