Every baker should have a standard for a good loaf that every loaf is measured against. To properly call bread organic, it is not sufficient that the baker use organic flour. The bakery's facilities and procedures must meet certain requirements, the bakery must be inspected, and the baker must keep accurate records. But if the bread contains some ingredients which are not organically grown, the customer should also be informed of that fact. A simple statement of which ingredients are organic and which ones are not should suffice.
Bakers choose to make bread with organic wheat for a number of reasons.
In this case, bakers may choose to bake only organic breads, or just a completely separate organic line. Some bakers use organic flour because they like its performance and have found reliable, consistent suppliers. Still others support organic farming as a sociopolitical or moral environmental choice. All of these reasons, individually or in combination, can be used to create a marketing advantage - and good bread. The Artisan thanks Greg Mistell, Executive Director of the Bread Bakers Guild of America for permission to reproduce this series of article by Mr. Leonard.