Demeter Biodynamic

If organic is the floor, Biodynamic is a whole house built on top of it. You'll see it more often on wine and produce than on flowers, but a growing number of flower farms hold it.

What it covers

To be certified Biodynamic in the U.S., a farm has to meet the USDA organic standard first. Demeter's Farm Standard then goes further, with stricter limits on bringing in outside fertility, a focus on on-farm solutions for pests, disease and weeds, and detailed requirements for water conservation and biodiversity, including setting aside a minimum of 10% of total acreage for biodiversity. The whole farm must be certified, not just one field or crop.

How it's verified

Demeter USA is the only certifier of Biodynamic farms and products in the United States, and it owns the terms "Biodynamic" and "Demeter" as certification marks. Farms are inspected every year. A conventional farm must follow the standard for at least three years before certification; an organic farm, at least one year.

What it doesn't mean

Biodynamic is a farming standard. Like organic, it doesn't certify wages or working conditions on its own.

What to ask

• Is the farm listed in Demeter USA's directory?
• Is the whole farm certified?
• A farm may not call its products "Biodynamic" unless they're certified; if the word is used without the certificate, ask why.

Sources: Demeter USA; Ecolabel Index. Requirements change; check the certifier's current standard before relying on a detail.