How Do I Know If It's Really Organic Food?

I agree that it's best to buy organic products from those whom you know to be producing them. Certification comes in only if there's distance between the consumers and producers, both physical and psychological, and when there's a lack of trust. Where there is no physical and psychological distance, and you are fairly certain and can ascertain that the producer or processor uses organic methods of production and processing, then certification is not a necessity. Even if there is certification, the inspector and certifier cannot be there all the time where production and processing occurs. There is so much in the organic inspection and certification system that is dependent on the farmer's sense of responsibility for the life and health of the consumers and for the state of health of Mother Earth and the environment. That's why a good certification system is still called a system of institutionalized trust.

I agree that the organic label is the key, but there is something to be said for local relationships. Some growers are small scale and don't want to bother with the certification process. If I know the grower, and they can assure me that they are practicing sustainable farming, I would rather buy from a non-certified local organic source than a certified organic non-local source.