How do I know my fruits are indeed organic?
- At Stemilt, that’s easy. We pack our organic fruits under the Artisan Organics label, and include the PLU sticker on every organic apple and organic pear we ship in your gift box. Additionally, that sticker will have a leading “9” before the four digits, to designate it as organic. For cherries, which don’t come with stickers on them, a USDA Organic sticker will be on the bag of organic cherries. Organic certifications are regulated by the USDA or like state agency. In order for a farmer to achieve an organic certificate, he/she must farm that orchard organically (based on National Organic Program standards) for three consecutive seasons. The certificate must be renewed annually. On the packing side, facilities must maintain an organic certificate and uphold certain standards in order to ensure organic and conventional fruit does not co-mingle.
Are Stemilt fruits GMO (genetically modified organism)?
- No, Stemilt does not use genetically modified seed to produce apples, pears or cherries.