LOCALLY-GROWN
Food and agricultural products that are produced, processed, and sold within a defined region, whether based on distance, state border, or regional boundaries. The term is not strictly regulated at the national level, allowing each farmers market to define and regulate it based on their own mission and circumstances.
NO SPRAY/PESTICIDE-FREE
While a farm may not be officially organic, "no spray" or "pesticide-free" indicates that no pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides have been applied to the crop at any point in its production.
NO-TILL
A method to reduce soil erosion by planting crops without tilling the soil, which may rely on herbicides to control weeds.
HEIRLOOM
Heirloom crop varieties, also known as traditional varieties or farmers' varieties, have been developed through years of cultivation, selection, and seed saving by farmers. Typically, heirlooms are varieties that have existed for a minimum of fifty years.
NATURALLY-GROWN
Unofficially organic, however, the claim "natural" is otherwise unregulated.
HUA PARAKORE
Hua Parakore is a kaupapa Māori system for Kai Atua - Pure Foods
BIODYNAMIC
Biodynamic farming draws inspiration from the teachings of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Besides organic practices like crop rotation and composting, biodynamic farmers employ special plant, animal, and mineral preparations and consider the rhythmic influences of the sun, moon, planets, and stars.
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a pest control strategy that aims to reduce the use of chemical pesticides through careful monitoring of actual pest threats. Pesticides are applied with the least possible hazard and are used as a 'last resort' when other controls are inadequate.
CONVENTIONAL
Conventional refers to widespread agricultural practices in the industry. It may involve the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, monoculture, antibiotics, hormones, and other chemical approaches, though it's not a strict definition. Conventional farming in the UK may also encompass the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMOs)
GMOs are plants and animals whose genetic composition has been altered to exhibit traits they wouldn't naturally possess. These alterations can include a longer shelf-life, different color, or resistance to certain chemicals. In essence, genes from one organism with the desired trait are transferred into the genetic code of another organism. Genetic modification is currently permitted in conventional farming.
ORGANICALLY-GROWN/CERTIFIED ORGANIC
All products sold as "organic" be certified organic.
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Farming that is socially just, humane, economically viable, and environmentally sound. The term is not strictly regulated.
TRANSITIONAL
Farmers must practice organic methods for three years on a given piece of land before the products harvested from that land can be sold or labeled as organic. "Transitional" as an unofficial term means that the farmland is in the midst of transitioning towards organic certification.
VINE-RIPENED/TREE-RIPENED
Fruit that has been allowed to ripen on the vine or tree. Many fruits that are shipped long distances are picked while still unripe and firm and later treated with ethylene gas at the point of distribution to "ripen" and soften them.
FOOD PROCESSING TERMS:
ARTISAN/ARTISANAL
The terms "artisan" and "artisanal" suggest that products are handcrafted in small batches.
FARMSTEAD CHEESE
Farmstead cheeses are made by the same people who farm the animals producing the milk, making it truly "from the farm".
GAPs
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) encompass a collection of recommended principles for on-farm production, post-harvest processing, and food storage to reduce risks of microbial contamination.
RAW
Foods such as milk, cheeses, cider, vinegar, sauerkraut, or almonds that have not undergone pasteurization (heating).
SECONDS
Produce that is bruised, blemished, over-ripe, misshapen, or otherwise deemed unfit for regular sale. Seconds, often used for cooking or canning, are available in large quantities and at lower prices.
SULFURED/NO SULFUR
Many dried fruits are treated with sulfur dioxide (SO2) or metabisulfite to prevent oxidation during and after the drying process, preserving their original color and acting as a preservative. Unsulfured fruits are often dark brown in color.
VEGAN
Foods with this label contain no animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs, gelatin, or honey.
FREE-RANGE
Free-range, free-roaming, and pastured imply that a product comes from an animal that was raised unconfined and free to roam. "Free-range" claims on beef and eggs are unregulated, but the UK requires that poultry have access to the outdoors for an undetermined period each day.
GRASS-FED
The diet of grass-fed animals consists of freshly grazed pasture during the growing season and stored grasses (hay or grass silage) during the winter months or drought conditions. Grass feeding is used with cattle, sheep, goats.
FARMERS MARKET
What is a Farmer Market? Have a look at our aims and principles to get a better idea of what we do.
Thank you!
If you have any terms you would like added, please get in touch.
