Organic Food

In order for farmers to label their products as USDA Organic they must adhere to the strict standards outlined in the organic certification program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The article, “Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious?” explains that these standards include how food is “grown, handled and processed”. Rather then using pesticides, organic farmers use methods such as beneficial insects and microorganisms and special disease resistant crop selection to protect their crops. They may use crop rotation and mulch to manage weeds. They do not use or include food additives, fortifying agents or preservatives in their products.

Traits of organic food can also be misconstrued in the sense of the ingredients and how it is different from the way processed food is produced. “In reality, certified organics have lower levels of chemical residue, Roethal argues, which is positive for consumers, farm workers and the land itself, but organic growing practices have no impact on how many nutrients, calories or grams of fat are in anyone's favorite foods”(SFGate). As mentioned previously in the quote, often times organic food can benefits one’s health because of the little amount in which chemicals and calories are in the substance. The concern about organic food is that it is substantially more expensive than non-organic food. However,“Organic food sales are increasing by double digits annually, and more than 80 percent of parents reported buying organic food for their families last year”, according to Batch. With the high-price of organic food, this could also be a reason on why people tend to lean more towards the less healthier items, all because of the low cost. Even though there are different and confusing standards on what organic really is, the ideal description would typically be foods that do not have the same producing process as non-organic food.

When considering differences between organic and conventional foods often the first thing people comment on is the nutritional value. Organic foods have grown in popularity due to the perception that they are better nutritionally. Barbara Hey (2009), health reporter and author of the article, “A Different Health Debate: Conventional versus Organic Food” and Smith-Spangier, Crystal, et al. (2012), emphasize that the benefits of organic foods and farming are important to society. That organic food can help protect what’s most valuable to people, their health. They suggest that eating a healthy diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is a good investment in preventative care. Jeff Gillman (2008) agrees and states, “ …preventing disease is much more cost effective than treating disease. Organic foods can play a vital role in keeping people healthy” (139).

Organic foods are those which are grown without hormones, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers. Organic farming does have its advantages. It conserves water and soil resources, recycles animal waste, releases fewer chemicals, improves soil fertility, promotes diversity of crops, and protects farm workers, livestock, and wildlife from potentially harmful pesticides (AG). Are organic foods safer than conventional foods though? After all, they do claim to be better for consumers, which is a tactic to be avoided (Pollan). Not only can organic foods be contaminated with bacteria and synthetic pesticides, they are also more expensive than

Organic farming began in the late 1940’s in the United States, and in recent years it has seen a dramatic increase in popularity (Rubin 1). The sales of organic food have been increasing by about 20 percent a year over the past decade (Marcus 1). That is over ten times the rate of their conventional counterparts (Harris 1). There are 10 million consumers of organic food in the United States, yet organic food represents only one percent of the nation’s food supply. This year organic food sales are expected to rise to six billion dollars (Rubin 1). So what is organic food? Organic food is that which are grown without hormones, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers. Also, the soil in which organic food

Many people have heard about organic foods, however, not everyone understands the facts, benefits, or how it is grown. Organic food ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones. In “Organic Food: Healthier for You and the Planet” Collin Dunn discusses organic food using some statistics, pictures, and his personal opinion to better inform people who eat organic foods why it is better to eat and how it is better for the planet. However, Lawrence Robinson, Jeanne Sega, and Robert Segal discuss organic food in:

The clear conclusions drawn from numerous studies targeting organic food are that organic food does not equal safe food, does not have clear nutritional advantage and does not have reduced level of naturally occurring toxins over conventional plants or livestock (80, 81). Fertilization enriches soils and provides nutrients in food, regardless of it being organic or chemical fertilizer. Risk of exposure to microbial contamination is not lower in organic food (82). Level of naturally occurring toxins such as aflatoxins in peanuts and grains, solanine in green parts of potatoes, goitrogens in some raw vegetables, and other poisons in mushrooms and herbs is not affected by the method of growing (81). Pesticides usages are monitored and will not pose harm to health when applied in regulated manner. However, the amount of pesticides residue is usually lower in organic food (82). One observational study and one systematic review found no protective value of organic food over eczema or atopy diseases (83, 84). Hence the claims being made over benefits of organic food can be concluded as misleading at best, and there is a pressing need for proper public education on this issue

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

Organic food is a current topic in today’s healthful world. There are different sides to the organic food argument. One is that organic food is much better than conventional food. The other is that conventional food is just as good as organic and more for your dollar. To some families organic food is more then they can afford because of the extra work that is required to grow it. People say that organic food is better because it has no chemicals or fertilizer in it but that is not true because they do put fertilizer on it just “natural” fertilizer that is certified by the USDA. Conventional food which to many people think is not safe because of the chemicals in it but it is just as safe as organic food.

According to the USDA, organic foods consist of foods and products that are grown without the use of sewage sludge, harmful pesticides, and fertilizers made from synthetic ingredients. These standards and guidelines were implemented with the overall objective of improving the quality of the food supply while also preserving the environment. The Organic Foods Act (OFPA) “authorized a new USDA National Organic Program (NOP) to set national standards for the production, handling, and processing of organically grown agricultural products. In addition, the Program oversees mandatory certification of organic production.” (Gold “Organic Production/Organic Food:”) When these standards are upheld, consumers are given the opportunity to educate themselves on the contents found in their food, which

Organically grown foods are generally recognized for their nutritional value. These beneficial nutrients include antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and amino acids. The process of preparing foods through cooking, industrial processing, and irradiating all destroy the nutrients in raw organic foods. It would defeat the purpose to buy organic foods and then conventionally cook the food. An everyday example of this would be to buy an organic t-shirt. Yes, there is a such thing as an organic t-shirt. Then proceed to put the t-shirt in a washing machine and apply all sorts of detergents to make it smell better or feel softer. It is quite difficult keeping organic items organic for the reason that if you add anything to that item it is now considered non-organic.

In the United States, organic food has become so popular people don't have to grow their own food or even find a farmers market to be able to obtain organic food. You can typically find it in supermarkets everywhere. Organic farming has been around for quite some time; it first became popular during the 1940s. Throughout the decades, people gained more knowledge on the benefits of farming and eating organic. George Kuepper, a sustainable agriculture specialist, notes, . . . “while one can’t say that the 60’s counterculture invented organic farming, it is fair to say that it created the organic industry” (9). During this time period, there was more information available about the dangers of

Have you ever wondered why organic food cost a little bit more than regular food? We have always thought that it was healthier in some ways but it all taste the same to me. The word organic means food that it is not chemically modified, from the taste to how it’s grown there are one hundred percent no chemicals in it. When you think of organic some words that come to mind might be expensive, healthier, and shorter shelf life. These are all important factors but let's dive into the process of how this food gets to be called organic. In this essay we are going to explain the difference of organic and conventional food.

The advantage of consuming organic food, far outweigh the important matters. Organic food precedes a healthful life, in the long term it works in favor of a person's health in general. It also creates more jobs by producing organic food. Animals are organically fed and live in a more acceptable habitat.