Refers to how something is grown. If the label says certified organic, that means that a specific certifying body has verified that the food has been grown or raised to meet certain standards. If the label just says organic, then that company is claiming they are growing or raising food to meet some or all of those standards, but there is no 3rd party verification. Organic/certified organic refers to no pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers being used in the growing process.