A Brief Note On The Organic Food Industry Essay

Every year, the average person in America consumes nearly a ton of food, and the majority of this consists of packaged and highly processed products. These foods also contain a substantial amount of unwanted fats and chemicals. The growing of organic versus nonorganic food has been a controversial issue for a long time among organic and nonorganic farmers and their customers. This is due to the myriad definitions of healthy eating and the stated benefits on both sides.

The articles “Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious?”, by the Mayo Clinic Staff and “Is organic better for your health? A look at milk, meat, eggs, produce and fish”, by Tamer Haspel, delve into whether or not the products produced by organic farming are more nutritious and or safer than those produced by conventional farming.

Today an increasing desire from consumers is to have healthy and organic product offerings. While

Congratulations! You have just won a trip to Earth in the year 2050, when Scientific American writers Michael Moyer and Carina Storrs predict that the world will be in dire need of resources. Buildings are crumbling, and more people are becoming cold and hungry by the hour. Cows have been extinct since 2030, and oil and coal have been wiped from the people’s memory. A skinny man glances at you from a crowd with a sad look in his eyes, and you can see the hunger within him. You wish that you could give all of these people something to eat, but your tour guide just keeps walking along like he sees the same image all the time. This time traveling vacation is just a glimpse of what the future could be, however, the field of synthetic biology could

With the world’s population continuing to increase, the demand for food is higher than ever. This increase in food demand also calls for more efficient ways of growing and providing the food. Two methods that are very controversial are the organic and conventional method. While many people support the organic method because of its known benefits, others feel that it is an over inflated industry that cheats consumers out of their money. But recently many studies have disproved those critics. These studies prove that Organic food is a better choice than conventional because it is better for the environment, avoids the use of chemicals, and is generally more beneficial.

Everyday, people consume processed food. From a quick meal at a fast food restaurant to a school lunch, most everyone in society is apart of the industrial food chain. The industrial food chain is a very controversial topic, including the treatment of animals and the overall nutrition of the food produced in the industry. In response to this controversy, social media began to cover what really went on in these industrial farms. Fresh is a documentary that was made to introduce the audience member to the controversial topic of the food industry and its counterpart, the organic farms of America.

Although people know that the word organic means the “best of the bests” they still argue that organically labeled food is “just a label.” As Nancy Sprague (2013), a registered nurse and certified finance and coding specialist puts it, “organic poultry products routinely carry the same bacteria as GMO chickens” and “toxins accumulate in fish skins regardless of whether or not fish are raised organically.” In addition, she also claims that the “organic” label is false advertisement in order for companies to sell more products at a higher price and organic food are

Organic farming is becoming an increasingly popular market throughout the world. (Adam, 2004, p. 666). The aims of organic farming are, to decrease pollution, maintain soil fertility and biodiversity, be more sustainable, and have increased nutritional benefits than conventionally grown foods (Yaping et. al., 2003, p. 298). While the aim of conventional farming is to provide safe, proficient supplies of food, in abundance and at low prices (Trewavas, 2001, p.409). Since 1996, the amount of land in the UK dedicated to organic farming has risen tenfold (Adam, 2004, p. 666). As well, from 1992 to 1997, the amount of certified organic cropland in the US more than doubled (Tafel et al, 2007, p.182 ). The main difference between organic and

Organic versus non-organic foods are always being debated to whether they are worth the extra cost. This seems to be an easy question, at first, but begs a more in-depth analysis to come to a conclusion. Organic definitions can vary by government, company and even individuals. Many people have their own ideas of what organic means. My personal definition, before this research assignment, was that organic products were grown with no pesticides, chemical additives, or preservatives and grown in a humane way. Meaning that if it said 100% organic, that is what was meant. This however, is not the case when it comes to the government’s definition of organic, according to T. A. Niewold who wrote, “Organic More Healthy; Green Shoots in a

Although organic foods are found in nearly every grocery store, the average person is unable to differentiate between organic and non-organic food products. Many consumers purchase organic products in the hopes of gaining positive health benefits. (Chhabra, Kolli, et al “Organically Grown Food Provides”) “The current demand for organic foods outstrips the domestic supply, causing retailers in the United States to import $2 billion worth of organic foods annually.” (Crandall, Seideman, et al. ”Organic poultry: Consumer perceptions”) In this paper, I want to define what it means for food to be organically produced, while also exploring the requirements necessary to deem a product ‘Organic”.

People nowadays are getting into the “go green” lifestyle while others continue to live without thinking about the effects they have on the environment. Why do people go green? It can save you money, it is the right thing to do, it is healthier because there are less toxins and less illness, it is helping future generations, and it is a chance to connect with the local community and spread the word. To go along with this lifestyle and its benefits, catering companies are pushing to become more environmentally sustainable and have more local and organic food options.

The food industry is every changing, more than half of the foods on our shelves did not exist 60 years ago. The main supple of food that comes from our country is factory farmed. The smaller more tradition farms have struggled to survive against major food corporations, but they hang onto traditional farming practices that have higher standards for the health and the environment of its livestock. Driving down the road, on nearly every corner of America's main streets is at least one fast food chain store. Enticing the American people to eat unhealthy chemical laced food. As a young mother pushes her grocery chart down an aisle, she picks up a box of chocolate chip cookies. Turning the box around to read the label, she is shocked to see over 30 ingredients along with artificial flavors, food dye and preservatives. Looking at our society as a whole, we see the rising number of obesity and along other diseases and illnesses. The American people are lead to believe various food groups are healthy while others are not. Every year a new, and exciting diet is introduced, promising real changes for a healthier lifestyle. The greatest impact on our health is what we choose to put into our bodies every day. For the health of our nation, and its environment the focus on growing the organic food industry is essential to healing our bodies and land.

If you could improve your odds of living longer, would you do it? Simply avoiding certain foods can lead to an increased life span. It boils down to, do you eat any organic food? Choosing to consume organic food is one way to drastically improve your health. At first glance you may be wondering what’s the big deal, it's just food after all, and that is where you are wrong. Organic food is the way food is meant to be prepared and eaten, unfortunately due to business tactics, the food industry has gotten out of hand and most of the food available at your local grocery store contains food with dangerous ingredients. There are many benefits to eating mainly organic food some of which include; health benefits, sustainable agriculture and fair animal treatment.

In developed countries there has been a recent craze in the health industry regarding the consumption of produce grown without the use of harsh chemicals; such produce has come to known as “organic”. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce do not use conventional methods to fertilize and control weeds. Organic farmers follow a distinct set of standards to manufacture organic food and fiber. Congress penned a general list of organic principles in the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), and the United States Depart of Agriculture (USDA) also defines specific organic standards.

conventional produce. “several studies have compared aspects of quality of organically and conventionally grown plant-derived foods. However, as concluded in a recent review, only small and inconsistent differences were found. Only for nitrate and vitamin C were systematic tendencies apparent” (Brandt, Mølgaard, 2001).