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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Biggest Myth About Organic Farming
by Ross Pomeroy June 6, 2014
But the idea that organic foods are healthier isn't even the largest myth out there. That title belongs to the widely held belief that organic farming does not use pesticides. A 2010 poll found that 69% of consumers believe that to be true. Among those who regularly purchase organic food, the notion is even more prevalent. A survey from the Soil Association found that as many as 95% of organic consumers in the UK buy organic to "avoid pesticides."
In fact, organic farmers do use pesticides. The only difference is that they're "natural" instead of "synthetic." At face value, the labels make it sound like the products they describe are worlds apart, but they aren't. A pesticide, whether it's natural or not, is a chemical with the purpose of killing insects (or warding off animals, or destroying weeds, or mitigating any other kind of pest, as our watchful commenters have correctly pointed out). Sadly, however, "natural" pesticides aren't as effective, so organic farmers actually end up using more of them!*
Moreover, we actually know less about the effects of "natural" pesticides. Conventional "synthetic" pesticides are highly regulated and have been for some time. We know that any remaining pesticide residues on both conventional and organic produce aren't harmful to consumers. But, writes agricultural technologist Steve Savage, "we still have no real data about the most likely pesticide residues that occur on organic crops and we are unlikely to get any."
More at the link...
http://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2014/06/the_biggest_myth_about_organic_farming.html
madaboutharry
(40,239 posts)Reading this made me sad.
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)It is total bullshit but some love spreading this crap.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RealClearPolitics#Origin
Study Finds Far Less Pesticide Residue on Organic Produce
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/08/us/study-finds-far-less-pesticide-residue-on-organic-produce.html
The best reasons to grow or choose organic:
1 - The organic label certifies you are not eating GMO foods such as HFCS which is designed to fatten cattle, or GMO corn and soy which are designed to be sprayed repeatedly with glyphosate (herbicide).
2 - Support for sustainable and local agriculture which is not dependent on fossil fuels for its inputs.
3 - Organic practices do not expose farm workers and neighbors to high concentrations of poisons ("the dose makes the poison).
4 - Good organic practices use healthy soil and healthy plants to create defenses to diseases and pests BEFORE they can do damage. That same healthy soil is responsible for the statistically higher concentrations of calcium and other nutrients.
5 - Organic milk consistently tested higher than conventional for nutrition and omega 3s.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=250012684
A new business model emerging for conventionally agriculture is unhealthy plants and animals, propped up by herbicides, pesticides and antibiotics in one system. Synthetic fertilizers + synthetic herbicides + GMO seeds + synthetic pesticides; lots of expensive inputs that keep small farmers poor. The average small farmers nets less than $400 an acre growing corn but buying his inputs make big corporations richer.
Weakened plants and animals are the mode for conventional farming and that is moving over to human beings. The youngest generation of Americans is nic-named "Generation Rx" because one in three children are on medications by the time they reach grade school now -- allergies, diabetes, ADD, ADHD, obesity, etc.
Conventional agriculture, like American (human) healthcare is now a disease management system which does not avoid or deal with the root causes, and benefits those who make and sell medicines and symptom treating preparations. Organic, on the other hand, is about staying as healthy as possible by making sure the body has a diversity of nutrients to draw on and avoiding neurotoxins and other health-reducing substances.
Denzil_DC
(7,287 posts)RealClearPolitics is mainly an aggregator set up in 2000 by conservatives: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RealClearPolitics
Despite claims to espouse "ideological diversity," if you've ever read the site, you'll see where it's coming from (and as for its "highly selective" electoral polling averages, cherrypicking Republican-favoring polls ...).
madaboutharry
(40,239 posts)I feel better now. I should have been more suspicious of the source.
on point
(2,506 posts)Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)Somebody posted a couple of images in a comment stream under one of these 'organic' diaries a day or two back. As it turns out, a LOT of the 'organic' food on the market is put out by the same giant agribusinesses who put out the non-organic versions. I'm guessing that the way the large agribusinesses do 'organic' is to simply swap out synthetic for organic pesticides. The 'organic' label is simply too vague at this point in time, and can cover a range of different farming practices. I'd like to see some studies that compare non-organic from agribusiness to organic from agribusiness to organic from small family farmer.
pnwmom
(109,020 posts)They did not prove that there are no long term health benefits from reduced exposure to harmful pesticides.
ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)Both types of crops use pesticides, which are equally toxic, so you're not reducing your exposure to harmful pesticides when you eat organic.
Cha
(297,888 posts)what? No pesticides. Since it's just my experience I don't expect anyone to believe it but I'm still stating it.
ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)People in those places may want to buy their produce over other organic produce.
Cha
(297,888 posts)Woodland Essence, Cold Brook, New York, and Spirit of the Earth Farm, Anahola, HI
FrodosPet
(5,169 posts)Or just the ones you worked at?
Cha
(297,888 posts)the farms I've bought produce from across the country and Hawai'i. I have an allergic reaction to pesticides and have to be extremely careful.. So that would be in Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Vermont, Arizona, and Colorado.
Maybe I'm just lucky.
FrodosPet
(5,169 posts)I appreciate the idea of minimizing my chemical load. Growing up in the 60s and 70s in industrial Michigan, I already have enough fire retardants and solvents and pesticides in my system to make seeing my 70s pretty unlikely.
Cha
(297,888 posts)eating organic in the '70s but didn't always adhere to it until about 20 years ago give or take.
Good luck!
Skittles
(153,254 posts)people are gullible
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)As for me and my family, we'll pick the critters off the fruits/veggies as needed.
wisechoice
(180 posts)ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)seems to be a different person than the author of the article I posted. Your link seems to be arguing against a different article.
emsimon33
(3,128 posts)I read it and thought of all the scientific studies that countered most of the article and then I found your post which verified my memory.
wisechoice
(180 posts)Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)I also like that they linked back to the original study at which they were looking. I flipped through to the original study, read through the abstract, then back to look at your linked story.
It shows both one of the cardinal 'sins' of science, and they way in which ideologues immediately latch on to such. The temptation to be overcome as a scientist is that of stating conclusions that are broader than your actual data supports.
And ideologues then love to come along and take those overbroad statements and shout to the heavens 'Look, a scientist said this! It got published in a peer-reviewed journal! So it must be THE TRUTH(TM)!'
Linking back to the original studies, you get to see what was actually shown by the data, not just the conclusions that people want to draw from them.
4now
(1,596 posts)Reads like propaganda. Not very well done.
Look around, there are much better organic bashing articles out there.
roody
(10,849 posts)don't have any pesticides.
pansypoo53219
(21,005 posts)Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)The standard varietals, even among many organics, are bred in part simply to last looking good on shelves as long as possible.
I find the flavour in stuff I grow from heritage seed is enormously stronger.
My favourite suppliers to date are seedsavers.org and southernexposure.com, with territorial seeds not doing too badly either.
cali
(114,904 posts)And I know my area organic farmers and their practices. I trust these guys a fuck of a lot more than this. And it's not only about better for you, it's about farming practices. Click on any of these links, and you'll find farmers with a philosophy of farming that is the antithesis of the factory farming that dominates in the U.S.
These are just a few of the organic farmers and producers within 7 miles of my home- and yes, it all tastes so much superior to supermarket stuff- from eggs and meat and cheese to fruit and veggies.
http://www.hazendalefarm.com/farmstand_info/farmstand_info.html
http://www.petesgreens.com/
http://www.vermontsoy.com/
http://eastviewfarm.com/
http://caledoniaspirits.com/spirits/
http://www.hardwickbeef.com/
http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/WebMkt/Riversidefarm.html
http://www.benspumpkins.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/LeBlanc-Family-Farm/122509284611786?sk=page_map
http://www.jasperhillfarm.com/farm/
Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)Organic farmers (and many small, conventional use family farms for that matter) tend to use pesticides judiciously. The one thing the article states correctly is that they use different pesticides and specifically use the least toxic, narrow spectrum products first.
OTOH the large scale commercial farmers are more likely to overuse synthetic and OMRI-certified organic pesticides and to choose broad spectrum pesticides.
I could smell the fresh manure in the OP link even before I saw KurtNYC's post.
Orrex
(63,247 posts)Last edited Mon Jun 23, 2014, 10:51 AM - Edit history (1)
From this snarky but unimpeachable source:
Confirming what everyone with eyes had already noticed years ago, a study commissioned by the British Government's Ministry of Culinary Obviousness concluded that so-called "organic" foods are four times more likely to appear blanched, tired, and generally ill-favored. A random sampling of 1,000 people across Britain found that "sallow" was the word most commonly chosen to describe organic produce, followed closely by "expensive."
Indeed, organic foods typically cost between 1.5 and 2 times more than equivalent non-organic foods.
"The whole thing's a ruse," noted Kirsten Smythe, a lead researcher in the study. "'Organic' simply means that the food contains carbon, and that describes nearly everything you're apt to eat, save perhaps an ice cube."
Nonetheless, researchers predicted that eager consumers will still happily pay much more for foods with little or no proven benefit beyond anecdotal testimony.
"I don't mind paying five pounds for an organic banana," said Nigel Sinclair, a London-based commodities broker, "as long as I feel as though I'm getting something more nutritious."
Curiously, sales of the dubious yet aggressively marketed produce have risen in the weeks since the release of the report. Further studies are planned to assess the impact of unpleasant facts upon the purchasing habits of people suspicious of such facts.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Neither do any of the other farmers at our local green market that we supply.
We weed. A lot. We're believers that pesticide/herbicide use is not only harmful to humans but its harmful to the soil. If you've ever seen the soil of a large corn/soybean operation you'd know that there's nothing "alive" in or around that soil anymore - no worms, no bees, no hummingbirds or butterflies.
The pesticides/herbicides are killing our soil too with dangerous ramifications to the rest of the ecosystems that nurture plant growth.
fredamae
(4,458 posts)must be feeling a bit threatened - soooo, along came This.
BS.
A Little Weird
(1,754 posts)There's a lot of info out there about it if you care to look. Here's one that's pretty good - http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/09/five-ways-stanford-study-underestimates-organic-food
To each his own, but I will try to buy organic when I can.