Organic Produce: Is It Worth It?.

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Organic Produce: Is It Worth It?.
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There has been some discussion of late as to the benefits, or lack thereof, of buying organically grown food. As reported last month, there is now a national standard for certifying a product as organically grown. Nevertheless, the corporate farm industry, some representatives of the federal government and certain television journalists would have you believe that organics are no more healthy, and possibly even less so, than chemically treated products. So let's take a closer look at what the term "organic" really means.
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A little history is probably in order. The concept of organic agriculture may have started with a German chemist by the name of Justus von Liebig. In 1840, when von Liebig published a report entitled "Organic Chemistry and its Application to Agriculture and Physiology," it was standard practice for farmers to fertilize their crops with humus (decayed vegetable and/or animal matter). It was believed that the plants actually consumed the humus. But von Liebig's research determined that the humus replenished the soil, from which the plants then extracted their nourishment. Von Liebig was further able to determine precisely which minerals the plants extracted. This understanding led to the addition of specific substances to the compost pile, the substances that the plants needed in order to thrive, such as lime and phosphorus. Eventually the compost pile was eliminated and the chemicals were added directly to the soil, and thus began the chemical fertilizer business.
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At the beginning of the 20th century a British agriculturist by the name of Sir Albert Howard was working in India. Sir Albert did not have access to the chemicals being used by western farmers so he re-instituted the compost pile. He found that the plants grown in the organically fertilized soil were hardier and more pest resistant than those grown with chemical additives. He also believed in a "permanent agriculture" system, a virtually self-sufficient unit which would have a variety of crops and livestock and produce its own compost from the natural waste products produced by the local environment. This was contrary to the trend of the times towards specialized farming. Sir Albert published a work entitled An Agricultural Testament, in 1940, suggesting that Britain adopt the natural farming processes. He is sometimes referred to as the founder of organic agriculture. But the first person to use the term "organic" in reference to food production was probably Jerome Rodale, natural farmer and founder of Prevention Magazine. In 1942 he published Organic Gardening and Farming.
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Despite the efforts of Sir Albert and Rodale, the movement in the 1930's and 40's was toward more and more artificial fertilizer and pest control products. But in the anti-establishment atmosphere of the 1960's, nourished by publications like Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and media exposes of big chemical companies, there was a rebirth of interest in natural or "organic" farming and gardening.
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That interest has not lost its steam. Over the past forty years organic farming has steadily increased to encompass a respectable portion of the total farming industry. Various systems of organic farming, with names like biodynamics permaculture and bio-intensive gardening have developed. Somewhere along the line, the term, organic became recognized as a marketing tool and its definition became somewhat muddy. Farmers who were genuinely practicing organic growing techniques wanted it to be known that their goods were distinctly different from the, much more prevalent, chemically treated products on the market. Thus, organic certification agencies were established. The first of these agencies in the US was CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers), established in 1973. CCOF helped to bring about the California Foods Act of 1990, the first piece of legislation in this country to establish criteria for labeling food "organic".
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So now the U.S. Department of Agriculture has established national standards for organic food. This action has been in response to what is called a market-driven movement. In 1980 the estimated retail sales of organic food products was $78 million. By the year 2000, that figure jumped to $7.7 billion in retail sales. A significant segment of the public is demanding organically grown products, to the extent that supermarket chains throughout the country are stocking their shelves with organics and even devoting special sections of the produce department to organically grown fruits and vegetables. The question is, "Should you be buying organics?"
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Organic products tend to be more expensive than their chemically treated counterparts and they don't always look as bright and shiny, both of which facts can be a turnoff to many people. The higher cost is, of course, a result of the law of supply and demand. Despite the growth of the organic food market, it is still a fraction of the total food market. And, as for the brighter and shinier appearance of the chemically grown produce, that is often the result of waxing or oiling the product to make it appear pretty and appealing. But what are the other differences? What would compel people to buy these more expensive, possibly less aesthetically pleasing fresh fruits and vegetables.
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The most obvious difference in organic agriculture is the ban on the use of artificially produced fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. The organic farmer feeds the soil with humus, as described above. Pests and weeds are managed by the use of beneficial insects and mechanical controls. Crop rotation is practiced so that the soil is not continuously depleted of the specific nutrients required by a particular plant. Techniques such as mulching, green-manuring (planting a "nutritious" ground cover during the non-growing season) and intercropping are practiced to maintain naturally healthy soil. Of course, organic produce cannot be grown from genetically-engineered seeds (see October, 2000 edition on The Genetic Engineering of Our Food Supply), irradiated, or fertilized with sewage sludge. And a farmer must use organic growing techniques for three years before his crops can be certified organic.
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Advocates of organic agriculture contend that the benefits go beyond the purity of our food. They point out that this type of farming helps to keep the air, soil and water supply free of toxic chemicals. It also protects farm animals from the use of synthetic hormones and antibiotics and allows that they be fed a natural diet of organic feed. It's not an easy way to make a living and the men and women who farm this way have to be dedicated to providing a pure and natural product. This is definitely in contrast to the huge corporate farms where the motivation is obviously a financial one and the alliance with the chemical companies is solid. So maybe it boils down to a question of, who do you want making decisions about how your food is grown, a dedicated farmer or Monsanto?
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This article is intended for informational purposes only. Nothing in this publication is intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or health-care provider before starting any new diet or procedure involving your health. Prompt professional medical guidance is recommended for any health problem.