What does 'organic' really mean?

Organic fruit & veg

All fresh vegetables and fruit labelled ‘organic’ must, by law, be grown according to the following standards:
Crops are grown without the use of artificial fertilisers or pesticides.
Generally, the required conversion period to organic method is two years (for ground crops) or three years (for perennials).
Appropriate crop rotation is practised for ground crops to break pest and disease cycles, and to help maintain soil fertility and structure.
No post-harvest chemical treatments are used.
Fertility is provided by natural organic manures, composts and fertilisers
No use of GM seeds or other materials is permitted.

Organic food production

There are strict regulations, enshrined in law, governing all aspects of organic food production:
All producers of organic foods must be certified by a recognised certification body and undergo a rigorous annual inspection by qualified inspectors.
Standards cover every aspect of food production such as growing, packaging, processing and transport.
Full audited records of every stage ensure complete traceability from farm to table.
Each certification body has an official certification number or logo that appears on the packaging and is the consumer’s guarantee of authenticity.

Source: Organic Living by Lynda Brown (Dorling Kindersley)