Over the past couple of years, I’ve been amused by the number of organizations and companies that are promoting products and practices as beyond organic. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve looked into many of those operations. And, quite honestly, they aren’t.

Different than organic? Yes. Focusing on important items that aren’t fully addressed by the organic standards? In some instances, yes. But I didn’t find one single product or program that could claim to meet all of the criteria of organic agriculture, plus something extra.

Organic isn’t perfect. But it is difficult. The farmers who roll up their sleeves and do the hard work of producing crops and livestock under the organic regulations day-in and day-out deserve a lot of credit for bringing to the market great tasting, nutritious food grown with respect for nature.

Other producers may focus on important aspects like local production and direct marketing. Those are important. But they aren’t beyond.