Knowing the specifics about organic foods will help a person determine whether they would prefer to eat organically or non-organically. The term ‘organic’ is a label that indicates that the food has been produced through the appropriate approval methods (“Organic Standards”). There are certain requirements that must be met by the USDA-accredited certifying agent. This certifying agent approves these requirements before the food can be labeled as an organic food. Organic operations must protect natural resources, save biodiversity, and use only the approved substances. The standards for organic foods are located in the Organic Food Production Act, USDA organic regulations, and the National Organic Program Handbook. The National Organic Program …show more content…
The first reason being that since they are not using any chemicals, the farmers are doing more labor work. By using chemicals on crops, farmers end up reducing the cost of production because they are able to get the job done faster. Without the chemicals, farmers have to hire more people to weed eat, clean the polluted water, and get rid of the pesticide contamination. The second reason is that the demand overwhelms the supply. Organic farms tend to produce less than non-organic farms. Non-organic farms have the supplies they need to keep costs down since manufacturers are able to decrease costs when producing a large quantity of products. The third reason is that fertilizers are more expensive for organic crops. Non-organic farmers use sewage sludge and chemicals, because they do not cost as much and they are cheap to transport. Organic farmers keep their crops natural and use animal manure, which is more expensive to transport. The forth reason is crop rotation. Organic farmers use crop rotations to keep their soil healthy and prevent weeds, while non-organic farmers use chemicals to kill their weeds. The fifth reason is the post-harvest handling cost. In order to avoid cross-contamination, organic foods have to be separated from non-organic foods after being harvested. Non-organic foods can be shipped in larger quantity sizes, …show more content…
In conclusion, if someone wants to eat organically they will be somewhat healthier if they eat these foods in the right portion size, but they will also be spending more money. In order to be labeled as organic, the product has to go through a numerous number of steps and must be approved by many organizations. In my opinion, I would rather eat non-organic food and save some
A gene used for pest control, Bt, has infected these foods. You would never know this gene existed because it’s not included in the label. Organic foods are specifically labeled as organic whenever you may find them at a grocery store or elsewhere. These foods are known as being essentially grown in healthy soil, in other words, a soil that isn’t infected with poisonous, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Although organic foods are more expensive, it is only the result from the frequent crop rotations completed by the farmers during long, hot hours under the sun. Conventional farming methods destroy topsoil whereas organic farming can improve the overall health of the topsoil. Farmers who partake in organic farming view it as feeding the soil and not the plants. Due to this thinking method, a healthy soil provides healthy plants, healthy people and a healthy environment. Organic farming has the ability to feed an entire population and put an end to starvation. The dangerous pesticides that are added with conventional farming are outdated and risky to mankind. Relying on synthetic fertilizers and chemicals are paralyzing our
Organic products and non-organic products have been a subject of interest to me for a great amount of time because I have often questioned whether there really was a difference between the two types of products. I always wondered what the nutritional, economic, laborious, and pollution differences were, if any, in the creation of the two types of products. Through research, I have found several sources of information that allow me to determine more than a physical difference between the two. To start, labeling something as organic is specific and determined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The regulations set are extremely specific and it is relatively difficult to meet the standards.
Organic refers to the way agricultural products, food and fiber, are grown and processed. “It is an ecological system that at its core relies on a healthy rich soil to produce strong plants that resist pests and diseases. Organic farming prohibits the use of toxic and persistent chemicals in favor of more “earth-friendly” practices that work in harmony with nature. In the case of livestock, antibiotics are prohibited, opting instead for preventative measures for keeping animals healthy and productive. Organic production also prohibits the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s).” (Ameriorganic) To find organic products one must only look for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) seal. The seal certifies the product must be 95%
Organic food has become so popular these days, since people especially in United States are making a commitment to have a good start towards a healthier life. People often doubt whether the organic food is really healthier and more nutritious? Why does it cost so expensive? Well, first of all, the term “organic” is referring to the way agricultural products are grown and processed which later on will affected the quality of the food. In order for a product to be labeled as “organic”, they must meet several specific conditions and requirements. Consuming organic food will not only affect health, but also the existence of animals as well as the food resource and the environment.
With the world’s population continuing to increase, the demand for food is higher than ever. This increase in food demand also calls for more efficient ways of growing and providing the food. Two methods that are very controversial are the organic and conventional method. While many people support the organic method because of its known benefits, others feel that it is an over inflated industry that cheats consumers out of their money. But recently many studies have disproved those critics. These studies prove that Organic food is a better choice than conventional because it is better for the environment, avoids the use of chemicals, and is generally more beneficial.
What are organic foods? Organic foods are grown without any preservatives, pesticides, chemicals, drugs, and hormones. Organic foods are grown or raised with a method that differs from industrial food. Recently, the organic market has been booming because of the many benefits studies have shown for organic foods, in which it has a better nutritional value than non-organic and is better for the earth. The harmful toxics that derive with non-organic foods have been shown in studies to affect individual’s health and the environment. Therefore, consuming organic foods and using organic agriculture methods should be the direction to go in order to improve one’s health and sustain the environment.
Audience Relevance: Everyone should know why we need to choose organic food over conventional food. Buying organic food has improved my life and it can improve yours as well instead of risking your life eating food that have been exposed to numerous chemicals.
For years organic farmers and conventional farmers have feuded over which is superior. Organic farmers argue that their product is more eco-friendly because they do not use the synthetic chemicals and fertilizers conventional farmer’s use. Conventional farmers argue that their product is healthier and yields more. People tend to have stereotypes regarding the two types of farmers. Organic farmers are usually thought of as liberal, hippy, tree-huggers while conventional farmers are usually thought of as right-wing, industrialists. Obviously, some do adhere to this stereotype, but a majority of these farmers are normal, hardworking people. Although these farmers, both believe in their methods, one is no better than the other. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but there is no true superior method of crop farming.
In India, the demand for organic food is originating from Tier I cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Banglore, Gurgaon and Pune. Indian organic food market includes Conscious Foods, Sresta, Eco Farms, Organic India, Navdanya and Morarka Organic Foods. The report also points out that the organic food is usually 20% to 30% more than conventional items which is a major limitation for the market because majority of the buyers are price sensitive.
First, according to researchers at McGill, University of Minnesota, “overall, organic yields are 25% lower than conventional.” The study notes that crop yields from organic farming are generally lower than from conventional agriculture. That is particularly true for cereals, which are staples of the human diet – yet the yield gap is much less significant for certain crops, and under certain growing conditions, according to the researchers. Yields of legumes and soybeans and fruits are closer to those of conventional crops according to the study. When best management practices are used for organic crops, overall yields are just 13% lower than conventional levels. Improvements in organic management techniques, or adoption of organic agriculture under environmental conditions where it performs best, may help close the yield gap, they indicate. Professor Foley states “By combining organic and conventional practices in a way that maximizes food production and social good while minimizing adverse environmental impact, we can create a truly sustainable food system.” So, while I agree that the increased cost of organic farming is probably justified I would have to argue it’s more for the points of benefit below than due to its ability to produce higher
A study of 362 datasets found that organic agriculture produces 80% of conventional yield with 21% standard deviation (Tomek et al. 2012). Second, organic farming requires less energy input which equates to less money spend from the farmers in addition to lowering carbon emissions. A study by the Department of Environment shows that organic agriculture uses 25 percent less than energy than their chemical counterparts, and certain crops like organic leeks and broccoli use 58 and 49 percent less, respectively (Bialis et al. 2013). Third, organic farming does not use pesticides. According to the World Health Center, 20,000 people die annually from the exposure of pesticides (Costa et al. 2014). Fourth, the methods that organic farmers use are better for the environment in the long run. And lastly, organic farming creates more jobs. A study done in United Kingdom shows 93,000 jobs could be created if Britain were to make a full scale shift to organic farming (Herro 2006). Although conventional agriculture is the primary producer for food currently, a large scale shift to organic agriculture is better suited to feed the world because organic agriculture can produce at adequate yield, requires less energy input, do not use
Organic food is generally not much healthier than regular fruits and such nutrition wise with a few exceptions. “Higher vitamin C concentrations were found in organic leafy vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, and chard versus the same conventionally produced vegetables in 21 of 36 (58%) studies”( Foreman). Also mentioned is that organic and nonorganic milk is not much different as “In general, milk has the same protein, vitamin, trace mineral content, and lipids from both organically and conventionally reared cows.”( Foreman).Despite the exception, it has been stated that the exception does not have strong enough evidence that can let a statement such as “eating organic food is more beneficial than eating conventionally grown food” stand on its own and be taken seriously. Another unfortunate circumstance on organic food is the price. On average, anything organic is priced higher than non-organic food, and according to Digestive Specialists Inc., it “…costs anywhere from 20 to 100 percent more than regular produce” (Digestive Specialists). The higher price leaves any financially struggling person or family less likely to invest in organic food when there is always a cheaper option available, even if the cheaper product isn’t beneficial to their health. The reason for this, mentioned by Health Research Funding,“…Organic farmers do not use artificial fertilizers, they tend to produce smaller quantities. Their method of farming is also more labor-intensive with weed pulling and crop rotation. And then there is the issue of supply and demand – as the demand for organic produce increases, so does the price” (Health Research Funding). The quality of organic fruits, while being mostly free of pesticides and chemicals, can also have a lot less time to deteriorate compared to non-organic foods. To summarize the issue, Mayo Clinic states that, “Because organic fruits and vegetables aren 't
Organic food is food that is grown without any pesticide or fertilizers. In recent years, sales for organic foods are increasing every year. A lot of people go to supermarkets in order to buy some organic foods, because they think that organic foods are healthier than conventional foods. People purchase organic foods for different reasons such as personal health, the quality of organic foods, and taste, but the most important reason is personal health. The topic that whether organic foods have more benefits or not is very controversial for a long time. Maybe some people believe that organic foods are beneficial to human health, but some other people disagree with the viewpoint, so buying organic foods depend on people’s choices. People believe organic foods are healthier because they generally think organic foods have less pesticide and fertilizer residue, more nutritional values, and are beneficial to environment.
Firstly, consuming organic food promotes good heath as it is more nutrition dense and has less toxic pesticides then convention food, according to a research study done by The Organic Center, organic food is higher in antioxidant, vitamins and minerals. Study matched pair of both organically grown food and conventional grown and showed that organic food not only was higher in nutrition but biologically active nutrients, In another study done by reveals that dairy pro...
Foods that are produced organically are better for the environment, healthier for your body because they do not contain toxic chemicals, and are more cost efficient than commonly known.