Organic Explained

The scenario: We are at the market with an empty basket and a grocery list a mile long. We start our "journey" through the fruit and veggie area (the size of a small country), roll over to the milk fridge and then the bread isle. We swing a hard left to grab that cereal box or two, head over to the meat department and grab a few packs of ground beef and a pack of chicken tenders. Our basket is bulging as we slowly head to the registers - but upon our slow journey to the exit, we catch from the corner of our eye the tiny isle with the name "Natural Foods" sign hanging above it. "We've never really been down that isle before, wonder what's so 'natural down there. Isn't MY stuff natural? How come there's so much of MY stuff and only one small isle of 'natural'?" We check out and head home with our groceries... but the questions remain - what IS down that isle? What makes them so special to get preferential isle-treatment like that?

We'll give you the 'easy' information on this stuff - and after you read through it, you make the call whether it's important enough for you or not to venture down that isle...

	What IS organic food?
	Organic food is grown without the use of synthetic chemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers.  It is grown on land that has been free of these chemicals for at least three years.  Also, organic food is not genetically engineered.  Organic animal products come from animals that have not been given growth hormones or antibiotics.  Currently, it is estimated that 80% of antibiotics produced in the United States are given to farm animals; this practice is contributing to the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria, a serious threat to public health.[i]  [i] “Antibiotic Resistance: Playing Chicken With Essential Drugs”, Environmental Defense Fund, http://www.environmentaldefense.org/documents/619_abr_general_factsheet_rev2.pdf
	Is organic food really healthier?
	Generally speaking, yes.  Organically grown foods contain two-thirds less pesticide residues than conventionally grown foods (the fact that they contain such residues at all show how pervasive these chemicals are in the environment).[i]  The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 60% of herbicides, 90% of fungicides, and 30% of insecticides (none of which are used in organic foods) are potentially carcinogenic.[ii]  Although the government has determined acceptable levels for many of these chemicals, many studies have found much higher residues occurring in food samples than is allowed by law.  Not only is organic food healthier because of the much lower levels of toxic chemicals, it also contains higher amounts of positive nutrients, such as minerals and vitamin C.[iii] It’s not surprising then that scientific studies suggest that organic food tastes better too!3 [i] B. P. Baker; C. M. Benbrook; E. Groth; K. Lutz Benbrook.  2002.  Pesticide residues in conventional, integrated pest management (IPM)-grown and organic foods: insights from three US data sets.   [ii] “Organic Food Benefits”, Nutiva corporation, http://www.nutiva.com/nutrition/organic.php [iii] “Benefits of Organic Farming”, Soil Association, http://www.soilassociation.org/sa/saweb.nsf/Farming/benefits.html
	Is organic meat / dairy / eggs better for the farm-animals?
	Yes.  One of the reasons that animals on conventional farms have to be fed so many antibiotics is to compensate for the stress of their environment.  Since organic farmers are not allowed to feed antibiotics and growth hormones to their animals, they have to treat the animals better.  Generally speaking, animals on organic farms live more natural lifestyles and are subjected to less trauma before slaughter (cattle from conventional farms routinely lose 9% of their body weight during pre-slaughter transport due to dehydration and stress[i]). [i] Peter Singer, “Animal Liberation”, pp.147-150.
	Is organic food actually better for the environment?
	Again, yes.  Pesticide and fertilizer runoff from non-organic farms pollutes local waterways and kills wildlife (including beneficial insects and micro-organisms).  In fact, seventy-five percent of the skylark population has disappeared from the countryside due to conventional farming practices.[i] It is estimated that up to two-thirds of fertilizers used on farmland eventually end up in our waterways.6  Fertilizer run-off from farms in the Midwest have contributed to an 8,000 square mile “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico that has killed thousands of fish.  Organic farming methods also improve soil fertility and reduce soil erosion.[ii]  The US currently loses about 2 billion tons of topsoil per year, significantly reducing crop yields, forcing abandonment of farmland, and contributing to dust storms like the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.[iii]  [i] “The Benefits of Organic Food”, Positive Health magazine, http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Organic%20and%20Vegetarian/frost47.htm [ii] “New USDA Standards a Boon for Consumers”, Environmental Defense, http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentid=2361 [iii] Lester R. Brown, “Eco-Economy: Building an Economy for the Earth”, pp.63-65
	How do I really know if something is organic or not?
	Many organizations independently certify farms as being organic.  Recently, the United States Department of Agriculture began an organic certification program.  Food with the USDA Organic label is at least 95% organic.[i] [i] “Organic Food Standards and Labels”, USDA,  http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/Consumers/brochure.html
	I've seen this "Fair Trade Coffee" symbol before. What is that?
	Fair Trade Coffee is designed to benefit coffee farmers and the environment.  In many coffee-producing countries, small coffee farmers receive such low prices for their coffee that they cannot even cover the cost of production and support their families.  Recently, in fact, coffee prices have recently fallen to an all-time low, causing extreme hardships for many Latin American farmers.[i] Fair Trade coffee farms, certified by TransFair USA, are required to ensure that the coffee was grown using sustainable methods (such as organic farming) and that farmers receive a fair price for their coffee beans.  Fair Trade coffee farming ensures that families benefit from improvements in education, housing, and healthcare. You can also check out some more information on this here. [i] “Fair Trade Coffee Campaign”, Global Exchange,  http://www.globalexchange.org/economy/coffee/

For more information, you can also check out these links - they may give you more valuable-insight into all this 'natural' stuff.

http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/Food_Facts/FAQ/Organic_Foods_faq.asp

http://www.organic.org/printable.php?faq=1

http://www.optco.com/USDA_FAQ.html

http://www.asdevelop.org/organic_farming_faq.html

http://www.organic-food-shoppe.com/organic-foods-faq.htm

http://www.organicconsumers.org/

The Dirty Dozen Organic Foods List is a quick guide to the twelve absolutely required foods that need to be orgnanic due to their retension of pesticides. From apples to spinach, they encompass a major portion of our grocery list.

Organic lawn & garden care
http://www.onlyorganic.ca/faq.htm
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/organic/

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