Why Organic Food Is Better For You Than Conventional

Martina Schlaucher | holistichealthandme.com

Many consumers have started to become curious of the differences between Organic Food and Conventional Food products, and for good reason.  There seems to be a lot of talk going on these days about which are better and WHY… So, let’s explore, shall we?…



When comparing the food labels of similar products where one is labeled “organic” and the other is conventional, there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference.  This of course, raises the question of what allows companies to sell organic products as “better” and also sell them at a higher price.

Image: annewatson photography

First, it should be explained, what “organic” really stands for and what it means to the consumer…

The USDA National Organic Program Consumer Brochure reads:

“Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.
Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. 

Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.
Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. 

Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

Even though the ingredient list of conventional products may appear to be the similar to organic products, the biggest difference shows in the way the ingredients are grown, harvested and processed.

In a 2002 Data Collection of Pesticide Residues in Conventional and Organic Food, the following statistics were concluded:

• Conventionally grown samples had multiple residues in 46%, 12% and 62% of USDA, DPR and CU samples, respectively.
• Organic samples had multiple residues in only 7%, 1.3% and 6% percent of the samples in those three data sets.

According to this research alone, there seems to be quite a difference in pesticide residue between conventional and organic products! This can be enough reason to favor organic over conventional, right?
What educated consumers can do, is to study the list of the “dirty dozen” and buy conventional foods with the least amount of pesticide residue.  When deciding to buy Organic and locally grown products, consumers will automatically help promote sustainability and local farming.  Urban Farming is powerful and productive choice this day and age!  What is your family eating, Organic or Conventional Food?

Source: holistichealthandme.com

Is Organic Food Worth the Extra Money?

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It is, but only if you can trust you're actually getting the organic food you pay for. That's why it's a good thing that the USDA is cracking down on certifiers that failed to hold farms to national standards.













On March 2, USDA announced that it was revoking its accreditation of two certifying agencies, Certified Organic, Inc. (COI) and Guaranteed Organic Certification Agency (GOCA).




USDA says COI failed to

communicate with hired inspectors about proper procedures or ensure they were adequately trained;

adhere to internal procedures according to their operational manual;

keep confidentiality agreements on file for all employees with knowledge about certification applicants or operations;

indicate on certificates the effective dates for organic certification;

ensure adequate training for employees about the regulations;

provide clients with cost estimates including inspection fees;

clearly identify the company's responsibility to pay for any required pre- or postharvest testing; and,

verify organic system plans against the actual practices of their certified operations.




GOCA's problems had to do with "persistent noncompliance," including such things as "failure to require clients to use defined boundaries and border zones as required by the organic standards."

Why it Matters




This may all sound absurdly bureaucratic but it means the certifiers could be overlooking producers' violations of organic standards.













You can track down the records of such things on the USDA's website, and see the handful of other such enforcement actions at the National Organic Program's site.













I'd say this is progress. Organic producers are supposed to follow the rules of the National Organic Program, and to be inspected to make sure they do. If the inspectors aren't doing their job diligently, you won't be able to tell whether the organic foods you buy are worth the premium prices.













This is a key point of a recent FoodNavigator story on the market for organics. The U.S. industry is expected to go from $21.1 billion in 2010 to $36.8 billion in 2015. How come? Because of "the government's monetary and regulatory support and increasing acceptance of organic food in the country."




People will pay more for organics if they think the producer is credible. Organics are about credibility. That is why the USDA needs to fiercely enforce organic certification. Doing so protects the industry. The more of this sort of thing, the better.













Source:http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/blogs/healthy-food/organic-food-certification?click=main_sr