Busting The Myth Of Organic Food

[TuneMyHeart]

My hubby sent me this and asked if I thought any of it was true. I'd like to hear some of your responses.

http://www. foodservicei.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15626

[JJsMom]

I feel very conflicted about this. This isn't the first time I have heard about people being basically anti-organic. I feel his views are pretty extreme and there was a lot I read and went :rolleyes :mad I guess my basic logic is that we don't know what pesticides and gmo can do to us, we just don't. He can say that the primitive stuff we used to use is bad but this new stuff is good, but does he know? Is someone ten years from now going to be saying that the stuff we are using is bad but they have new stuff that's good? I don't want to be a guinea pig. So, what if they do find out in ten years that this organic vs conventional is just hype and no different? Well, then I'm out a few hundred extra dollars maybe. :shrug But what if the find out that "oops, sorry, our pesticides cause cancer :doh" well, then what have I done?
I do understand that organic farming isn't the mom and pop farms, that it is big business and it's too bad. I understand that I will pay more if I buy organic.
Okay, but here's where I'm at-in a perfect world, yup I would buy local organic, but here I am, a SAHM and that just isn't always feasible. I figured out that this year we would use some of our tax return money to do a CSA (community supported agriculture) so I will be getting local organic produce, but I also buy some fruit and veggies from Walmart :duck I wash it and/or peel it when possible but if I can't, well, I know I'm doing the best I can. I try to prioritize and do what I can. :twocents

[Irene]

yeah that.

[Chris3jam]

I feel very conflicted about this. This isn't the first time I have heard about people being basically anti-organic. I feel his views are pretty extreme and there was a lot I read and went I guess my basic logic is that we don't know what pesticides and gmo can do to us, we just don't. He can say that the primitive stuff we used to use is bad but this new stuff is good, but does he know? Is someone ten years from now going to be saying that the stuff we are using is bad but they have new stuff that's good? I don't want to be a guinea pig. So, what if they do find out in ten years that this organic vs conventional is just hype and no different? Well, then I'm out a few hundred extra dollars maybe. But what if the find out that "oops, sorry, our pesticides cause cancer " well, then what have I done?
I do understand that organic farming isn't the mom and pop farms, that it is big business and it's too bad. I understand that I will pay more if I buy organic.
Okay, but here's where I'm at-in a perfect world, yup I would buy local organic, but here I am, a SAHM and that just isn't always feasible. I figured out that this year we would use some of our tax return money to do a CSA (community supported agriculture) so I will be getting local organic produce, but I also buy some fruit and veggies from Walmart I wash it and/or peel it when possible but if I can't, well, I know I'm doing the best I can. I try to prioritize and do what I can.

:yes :yes And it also depends on what "crop" it is. For instance, I buy raw, organic cow's milk. That means that the cows have not been fed any chemicals, no prophylactic antibiotics, no un-needed medications/vaccinations, they are free-range, and are checked monthly for disease and overall health (and growth hormone has been outlawed since I don't know when, so that's a non-issue). In that case, it makes a world of difference, also for organic meats and eggs. Back when pesticides and fungicides and herbicides came into being, they were literally a God-send, especially for the small farmer whose crop was just wiped out by pestilence. But, there *are* less costly and more efficient ways to be "organic". The problem is that nothing is family or even community size anymore, which makes it much harder, and produce needs to be trucked to locations. :( Also, "organic" has taken on a different meaning today. :( It includes GMO's (which have their own problems. . . who really knows what a mutated mouse gene in corn will do to a human?), certain natural chemicals, etc. Organic and natural, using nature's own 'pests' and plants against the enemies of one's crops is a lot more cost-efficient than one thinks. But, it requires some knowledge, a lot of which we may not have anymore. I think the large "organic" farmers of today are functioning on less than 100% knowledge of how things work and what really to *do*, but are just functioning on "well, we can't use this chemical pesticide, which 'natural' one can we use?"(wht not to do), when there is a lot more involved than that.

Ok, I'm too distracted to type anymore (probably shouldn't have even hit post, it's so disjointed!). . so I'll probably come back.. . . .

[fourbygrace]

(and growth hormone has been outlawed since I don't know when, so that's a non-issue).

Really?? :scratch I have never read or heard this. Where did you get this information? I just did a google search and could not find anything stating that it had been outlawed in the US. The only thing I found was a request made to the FDA in Feb. 2007:

FDA Asked to Place Cancer Labels on Hormone-Produced Milk

WASHINGTON, DC, February 21, 2007 (ENS) - Three advocacy organizations representing consumers, family farmers, and cancer prevention advocates Tuesday petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, asking the agency to withdraw its approval for Posilac - Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone, rBGH.

The petition requests the immediate suspension of approval of Posilac based on "imminent hazard" and placement of cancer risk warning labels on all milk produced with the hormone.

The petitioners claim that scientific evidence shows increased risks of cancer, particularly breast, colon, and prostate cancer, from the consumption of milk from cows injected with Posilac.

The genetically modified recombinant bovine growth hormone, is also known as rBGH, or rbST. Posilac is the trademark for Monsanto's rBGH product, registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and is approved for marketing by the FDA.

[Punkie]

I agree in that I have problems with "Big Organic". I think that the book _The Omnivores Dilemma_ does a great job of both showing the downsides of the organic movement growing (and thus the birth of "Big Organic") and the pastural dreams that many Americans have about buying organic vs. the reality of some GREAT organic and "beyond organic" farms that exist. :)

It is true that organic milk does not necessarily come from cows who live in pastures (or can even turn around). It is true that many organic chickens live in giant pens, crunched together, and that they are "free range" only in theory since they technically have access to a door although it stays locked until they are too old to even try to go outside (and only 2 weeks from slaughter). Sometimes organic farming practices for crops are harder on the earth since they have to overtill rather than use pesticides.

The thing is... there are also SO many great things about the organic and beyond organic movements. I think that it is often preferable to buy local from small farmers rather than jumping on the organic label, especially if it was flown across the country and grown out of season for you ;) I'd still pick big organic over conventional though... I don't have any lofty ideas of what buying "organic" means though. I know its not perfect. It IS better though.