What defines “natural pork”? Because no governmental rules exist for so-called “natural pork,” as opposed to the stringent legal definitions for “organic pork,” consumers must rely on the standards set forth by self-governed, individual marketing groups who promote their own established guidelines. Much more lenient “rules” for the raising of natural pork exist because of this, and to make this point, here are a few differences as found on the Web sites of the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AMRC) and the University of Minnesota Extension Service.

When you purchase natural pork products, the generally thought-of assumption by you, the consumer, as well as many other natural pork producers should be, according to the AMRC, that no artificial ingredients have been given to the hogs in their diets. The only other criterion that’s commonly expected lies in the minimally processed state of the pork after butchering. That’s it! That’s all it takes to sell one’s pork as “natural pork.”

On the other hand, there’s “organic pork.” Unlike natural pork, organic pork must meet the following requirements:

1. As opposed to the diets of natural pork pigs, organically raised hogs’ diets can’t contain genetically modified grains or genetically modified grain byproducts (nor any byproducts of ANY kind).
2. There can be do administering of antibiotics, hormones, or drugs of any kind.
3. Grain byproducts that are fed to hogs must be from certified-organic crops.
4. Feed from chemically extracted products, like solvent-extracted soybean meal, are a no-no.
5. All amino acids given must be non-synthetic.

Because no broadly accepted or legal definitions are on the books for natural pork, a lot of your purchasing wisdom flies out the door. Consumers must rely on the reputation and good faith of the natural pork purveyor.

It pays to carefully read the Web sites of natural pork sellers, as well. One site offering “natural pork,” also boasts that their extremely high-priced pork is corn-fed. Their pork contains no growth stimulants or antibiotics, but hormones aren’t mentioned. And who’s to say the corn fed to their hogs is organic?

So as you’re browsing the Internet or even when buying from a brick-and-mortar health food store, make sure you know what you’re getting when purchasing “natural pork.” It’s good to be wise with our dollars as well as being wise to what we put in our bodies.