4-Legger's Nose and Paw Healing Balm is the Best Thanks to USDA Certified Organic Ingredients
Recently, someone asked why our healing paw and nose balm is more expensive than another "organic" product on the market. Like 4-Legger's paw wax, the other product can be used on dry skin, hot spots, cuts, sunburns, scar reduction, and bug bites!
We were more than happy to explain the reasoning behind the the decision to use certified organic ingredients - especially in a product that will be on your dog's nose, paws, skin, and since they like to lick it - inside them!
Let's look at the ingredients*:
- Organic Hemp Oil
- Organic Shea Butter
- Organic Rosemary Extract
- Organic Calendula Extract
- Organic St. John's Wort
- Organic Beeswax
There is one word prominent in every ingredient "Organic".
While some manufacturers use the word "organic" in the title of their company's name or slap "ORGANIC" on the front of the bottle to make you think a product is organic when it is in fact, not.
USDA Certified Organic ingredients are certified through independent third party USDA accredited certifying agencies. The ingredients must be traced to their source and they must, in fact, be certified organic (by third party certifying agencies). The certified ingredients are re-examined when they are used in a product - to ensure the ingredients being used in the product match the documentation and the products were manufactured in a certified organic facility.
So What Does Organic REALLY Mean?
The organic beeswax in our healing balm provides a great example to understand what "organic" really means.
In a nut shell, organic beeswax means that the bees that made the beeswax haven't been exposed to synthetic chemicals or GMO crops and therefore, the honey and beeswax is organic.
In the U.S. independent certifying agencies use the National Organic Board standard recommendations for honey and beeswax. We've listed some of these standards:
- What the bees eat and drink: Bees must have a 1.8 square mile area with enough pollinating plants available for the hive (called the forage zone) and another 2.2 square miles beyond the forage zone must also be established and monitored for high-risk activities that might pose harm to the hive (such as the presence of golf courses, landfills, residential housing or power plants).
- The bee's homes must be made of organic materials.
- Bees must be treated for parasites (like mites) using organic methods.
- The beeswax and honey must be processed in an organic facility (removed from the hive and never in contact with an area that risked contamination).
- The beekeeper must maintain meticulous records.
- They must label their beeswax and honey in accordance with the standards.
Here is where it gets confusing. Each country has their own standard for organic honey and organic beeswax. The U.K, Japan and most EU countries have a forage zone standard of 4 square miles. Some countries have standards that do not guarantee "chemical free". Bees can fly up to 2 miles away from the hive in search of nectar and pollen. So, a standard that doesn't account for the maximum length of flight is risky.
How do these guidelines impact price? Here are sample prices for the purchase of 27.5 pounds of beeswax.
|
Non-Organic
|
Organic
|
| $147 | $350 |
Is the higher cost worth it? Well... yes. Of course it's worth it! As we say, the proof of quality is ON the dog!
With so much of our food dependent upon bees for pollination, it is with good reason bees are front and center.
Synthetic chemicals are killing our bees. Those same synthetic chemicals are causing cancer in our furry family members.
It is as simple as that.
Our healing balm is safe and non-toxic for your dog's skin and if they lick it!
Every day we are humbled by the commitment it takes to be certified organic. To everyone who supports 4-Legger's mission, from growing the ingredients to washing your dog and applying balm on their nose and paw pads, you are simply the bee's knees! Thank you!
Learn more about the role of organic in saving the bees and our food sources.
* Natural Tocopherol (Vitamin E), an antioxidant, is used as a preservative in 4-Leggers Healing Balm. It is approved for use by the National Organic Program.
