It seems that the entire world has been charged with living a greener life, which sometimes means reaching for organic foods over other varities. And because natural foods often cost a few cents more than their traditional counterparts, when it says organic, it definitely better be organic.

 
Such may not be the case with Target, which recently got slapped with a formal complaint by food watchdog organization The Cornucopia Institute, reports The Huffington Post.
 
"The complaints are the latest salvo into a growing controversy whereas corporate agribusiness and major retailers have been accused of blurring the line between 'natural' products and food that has been grown, processed and properly certified organic under tight federal standards," the Institute stated in a press release yesterday.
 
The release went on to quote Mark A. Kastel, their senior farm policy analyst, who said, "Major food processors have recognized the meteoric rise of the organic industry, and profit potential, and want to create what is in essence 'organic light,' taking advantage of the market cachet but not being willing to do the heavy lifting required to earn the valuable USDA organic seal."
 
"The Wisconsin-based farm policy research group discovered Target nationally advertised Silk soymilk in newspapers with the term 'organic' pictured on the carton's label," continued the release. "When in fact the manufacturer, Dean Foods, had quietly shifted their products away from organics."
 
HuffPo also reports that Target stores have been previously accused of fudging on its food labels. Aurora Organic Dairy, a farm that supplies milk to many stores including Target, were threatened by the USDA in 2007 to revoke it's organic status.
 
All in all, this hasn't been a good month for natural food sellers. Remember  how Whole Foods CEO John Mackey said, "We sell a bunch of junk"?
 

Tell us: Do you buy organic or other non-traditional foods? Why or why not?

-- Whitney Teal

Here's more:
Happiness factory open for business

McDonald's and Wendy's rethinking eggs