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Certified organic … chemical free … dolphin-safe … the stamps and slogans on food labels make a lot of promises, but can they back it up? Audobon magazine breaks down which labels are meaningful and which are USDA-certified bull crap.

These labels can't be used without independent verification:

USDA Organic

Fair Trade

Rainforest Alliance

Food Alliance

Demeter Biodynamic

Salmon-Safe

Bird Friendly

Certified Humane Raised and Handled

FishWise

Non-GMO Project Verified

Healthy Grown Potatoes

These should be taken with a grain of salt — they may mean something, but they don't have to:

Raised Without Antibiotics

Natural

Free Range

Grass Fed

Nutri Clean Residue Free Certification

Marine Stewardship Council

These can be used by anybody at any time and are therefore basically meaningless:

Cruelty free

Cage free

Environmentally friendly

Nature’s friend

No chemicals

Vegetarian fed