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We come from a society where growing organic
and just growing produce and livestock for food was once one and the same.
Small, family farms still grow their own food using traditional methods
passed down through the generations. As commercial farming became
big-business, however, growers and farmers started to investigate methods of
increasing crops and building bigger livestock in order to increase their
profits. This led to increased use of pesticides and drugs to enhance yield.
In this article, we will look at what is required in order to call a product
organic, how choosing organic eating and farming impact the environment and
our health, discuss the benefits of eating organic foods, and what research
says about the nutritional benefits of organically-grown produce.
Calling it "Organic"
In 1995, the US National Organic Standards Board passed the definition of
'organic', which is a labeling term denoting products produced under the
authority of the Organic Foods Production Act. It states, "Organic
agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and
enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is
based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that
restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony."
The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and
productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals,
and people.
The philosophy of organic production of livestock is to provide conditions
that meet the health needs and natural behavior of the animal. Organic
livestock must be given access to the outdoors, fresh air, water, sunshine,
grass and pasture, and are fed 100% organic feed. They must not be given or
fed hormones, antibiotics or other animal drugs in their feed. If an animal
gets sick and needs antibiotics, they cannot be considered organic. Feeding
of animal parts of any kind to ruminants that, by nature, eat a vegetarian
diet, is also prohibited. Thus, no animal byproducts of any sort are
incorporated in organic feed at any time.
Because farmers must keep extensive records as part of their farming and
handling plans in order to be certified organic, one is always able to trace
the animal from birth to market of the meat. When meat is labeled as
organic, this means that 100% of that product is organic.
Although organic crops must be produced without the use of pesticides, it is
estimated that between 10-25% of organic fruits and vegetables contain some
residues of synthetic pesticides. This is because of the influence of rain,
air and polluted water sources. In order to qualify as 'organic', crops must
be grown on soil free of prohibited substances for three years before
harvest. Until then, they cannot be called organic.
When pests get out of balance and traditional organic methods don't work for
pest control, farmers can request permission to use other products that are
considered low risk by the National Organic Standards Board.
The Environment
According to the 15-year study, "Farming Systems Trial", organic soils have
higher microbial content, making for healthier soils and plants. This study
concluded that organically grown foods are raised in soils that have better
physical structure, provide better drainage, may support higher microbial
activity, and in years of drought, organic systems may possibly outperform
conventional systems. So, organic growing may help feed more people in our
future!
What is the cost of conventional farming, today? The above-mentioned 15
-year study showed that conventional farming uses 50% more energy than
organic farming. In one report, it was estimated that only 0.1% of applied
pesticides actually reach the targets, leaving most of the pesticide, 99.9%,
to impact the environment. Multiple investigations have shown that our water
supplies, both in rivers and area tap waters, are showing high levels of
pesticides and antibiotics used in farming practices. Water samples taken
from the Ohio River as well as area tap water contained trace amounts of
penicillin, tetracycline and vancomycin.
Toxic chemicals are contaminating groundwater on every inhabited continent,
endangering the world's most valuable supplies of freshwater, according to a
Worldwatch paper, Deep Trouble: The Hidden Threat of Groundwater Pollution.
Calling for a systemic overhaul of manufacturing and industrial agriculture,
the paper notes that several water utilities in Germany now pay farmers to
switch to organic operations because this costs less than removing farm
chemicals from water supplies.
What About our Health?
Eating organic food is not a fad. As people become more informed and aware,
they are taking steps to ensure their health. US sales of organic food
totaled 5.4 billion dollars in 1998, but was up to 7.8 billion dollars in
the year 2000. The 2004 Whole Foods Market Organic Foods Trend Tracker
survey found that 27% of Americans are eating more organic foods than they
did a year ago.
A study conducted by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation
reports that the number of people poisoned by drifting pesticides increased
by 20% during 2000.
A rise in interest and concern for the use of pesticides in food resulted in
the passage of the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act, directing the US EPA to
reassess the usage and impact of pesticides for food use.
Particular attention was paid to the impact on children and infants, whose
lower body weights and higher consumption of food per body weight present
higher exposure to any risks associated with pesticide residues.
Publishing an update to its 1999 report on food safety, the Consumers Union
in May 2000 reiterated that pesticide residues in foods children eat every
day often exceed safe levels. The update found high levels of pesticide
residues on winter squash, peaches, apples, grapes, pears, green beans,
spinach, strawberries, and cantaloupe. The Consumers Union urged consumers
to consider buying organically grown varieties, particularly of these fruits
and vegetables.
The most common class of pesticide in the US is organophosphates (OP's).
These are known as neurotoxins.
An article published in 2002 examined the urine concentration of OP residues
in 2-5 year olds. Researchers found, on average, that children eating
conventionally grown food showed an 8.5 times higher amount of OP residue in
their urine than those eating organic food. Studies have also shown harmful
effects on fetal growth, as well.
Pesticides are not the only threat, however. 70% of all antibiotics in the
US are used to fatten up livestock, today. Farm animals receive 24.6 million
pounds of antibiotics per year!
Public health authorities now link low-level antibiotic use in livestock to
greater numbers of people contracting infections that resist treatment with
the same drugs. The American Medical Association adopted a resolution in
June of 2001, opposing the use of sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics in
agriculture and the World Health Organization, in its 2001 report, urged
farmers to stop using antibiotics for growth promotion. Studies are finding
the same antibiotic resistant bacteria in the intestines of consumers that
develop in commercial meats and poultry.
Is it More Nutritious?
Until recently, there had been little evidence that organically grown
produce was higher in nutrients. It's long been held that healthier soils
would produce a product higher in nutritional quality, but there was never
the science to support this belief. Everyone agrees that organic foods taste
better.
In 2001, nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington published her review of
41 published studies comparing the nutritional values of organic and
conventionally grown fruits, vegetables and grains. What she found was that
organically grown crops provided 17% more vitamin C, 21% more iron, 29% more
magnesium, and 13.6% more phosphorus than conventionally grown products. She
noted that five servings of organic vegetables provided the recommended
daily intake of vitamin C for men and women, while their conventional
counterparts did not. Today there are more studies that show the same
results that Ms. Worthington concluded.
Considering the health benefits of eating organic foods, along with the
knowledge of how conventionally grown and raised food is impacting the
planet should be enough to consider paying greater attention to eating
organic, today. Since most people buy their food in local supermarkets, it's
good news that more and more markets are providing natural and organic foods
in their stores. Findings from a survey by Supermarket News showed that 61%
of consumers now buy their organic foods in supermarkets. More communities
and health agencies also are working to set up more farmer's markets for
their communities, also, which brings more organic, locally grown foods to
the consumer. The next time you go shopping, consider investigating organic
choices to see if it's indeed worth the change!
Marjorie Geiser has been teaching
health, fitness and nutrition since 1982. She is a nutritionist, registered
dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. As the owner of
MEG Fitness, Marjorie’s
goal for her clients is to help them incorporate healthy eating and fitness
into their busy lives. |
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