Over the last 6-9  months I have been seeing and hearing the media put out a fair number of articles and reports on organic foods vs. non-organic foods. The underlying theme seems to be that organic food is not any more nutritious than non organic food. It would seem that the media has an agenda to discredit any healthful benefits organic growers an consumers are promoting.  So what is the debate really about anyway?

What Does Organic mean?

The USDA has implemented a program to certify foods Claiming an organic production and handling process. For a food item to carry the USDA certified organic seal They must pass all the requirements of the certification program and must have at least 95% organic ingredients. if you would like to know all the requirements to participate in the USDA program Please visit their website at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop

Organic foods, those labeled as certified organic, must be produced without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Animals produced under the organic certification process must be free of growth hormones and use of prophylactic antibiotics and other medicines. Most of these animals are free range but beware, just because a cut of meat in the store says “free range” that does not mean it is organic. Organic fruit and vegetable producers utilize crop rotation and hand tillage techniques as well as natural pest control techniques such as attracting “helper” insects and animals that control pest insects or weeds for them.  Organic animal producers utilize free range and rotational grazing and make sure their animals receive high quality organic feeds themselves.  Disease is kept at a minimum by keeping the environment clean and using housing that prevents crowding issues.

To participate in the program a producer must become certified and the products offered for consumption must  include at least 95% organically produced ingredients. Food producers however can still list their products as having “organic Ingredients” if the overall product has at least 70%  of its ingredients coming from organic production methods. Some producers will list their products as being: “free range” or having “natural ingredients” or “healthy ingredients” in order to cash in on the growing organic consumer trend. If you are not already a label reader, it is essential to become one. Marketers are as clever as any psychologist and have a strong understanding of what kind of packaging, what words and what image on a package will increase your motivation to purchase their product.

There are also a number of small producers across the USA that participate in local farmers markets and local coops who do not participate in the USDA organic program because it is  not economically practical for them to do so. many of them utilize production methods that would qualify them for the national program but do to the small scale of their production they choose not to participate. Many of these local and farmers market producers however do not use exclusively organic methods. if you frequent local farmers markets it is important to talk to the local producers, develop a relationship with them and see if their values match your own. You may be surprised to find out how the food you consume is actually produced.

To go organic or not to go organic, that is the question.

So what is the debate Really about… over the last few days and weeks as I thought about how to approach this post. I have spoken with several people about the subject. Most people really aren’t confused about the amount of nutrition in an organic apple versus the non-organic apple. In fact the media is quite accurate. In a side by side comparison, Organic foods and non-organics stack up pretty much the same as far as the amount of nutrients go, some producers may argue that there are a number of variables that concern any individual crop  including, soil quality, variety of apple and so on… but for arguments sake lets just assume that an apple is an apple is an apple as far as the type and amount of nutrition contained within. That being said, I think the media is kind of missing the point. For many organic producers and consumers it’s not so much a case of what’s in the foods they eat,  but what is Not! Chemical pesticides, chemical fertilizers, Growth hormones, antibiotics, Genetically modified varieties, these elements combined with the prevalence of harmful food additives such as: MSG, Aspartame, excessive levels of sodium, high fructose corn syrup, irradiation of our foods, genetically modified varieties and exposure to any number of environmental risk factors during the handling process is making more and more Americans question our food culture.

While the USDA does administer the Organic certification program, The FDA continues to endorse and refuses to require labeling of GM ( Genetically modified) foods. Foods that are treated by irradiation are only required to be labeled with small print. In at least one state, Irradiated foods are allowed to be labeled as “pasteurized”  Despite The fact that the FDA states that Irradiation is efficient at Killing food born bacteria. there are a Number of studies that show that the two most dangerous bacteria for human consumption. Salmonella and  Clostridium botulinum, are both resistant to radiation at  the level recommended by the FDA. The evidence according to The federal government would seem to be established but multiple independent researchers have found concerns with irradiated food as the average dose of radiation applied to a  chicken breast in order to kill salmonella is 10x the dose of a single Xray.

In my opinion the debate over Organic vs. non-organic is nonsense. People choose organic foods and products because they choose to participate in a movement toward a way of living that is more In tune with the natural world. They want their food produced in a more sustainable and healthier manner. They want foods that build up our bodies and our health instead of contributing to our breakdown and decay. Whether the old school establishment likes it or not , I think Green is here to stay. More and more people are going to be making their voices heard by by choosing to consume foods and other goods that are produced with sustainable methods and take future generations into consideration. The Lakota people say that this earth is not ours, it belongs to our grandchildren 7 generations from now. This is the only right way to think about our world.