Ultimate Green Western Food
Ultra Great Western Food
Green Organic food
An organically-grown apple. Fruits and vegetables grown organically are similar
to conventionally grown produce. In most jurisdictions, organic food must meet
specified production standards, which specify growing and processing conditions
different from normal agricultural and food safety requirements.Organic foods
are produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they
were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers,
human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing
radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the
routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most
countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.
Increasingly, organic food production is legally regulated. Currently, the
United States, the European Union, Japan and many other countries require
producers to obtain organic certification in order to market food as organic.
Historically, organic farms have been relatively small family-run farms – which
is why organic food was once only available in small stores or farmers' markets.
Now, organic foods are becoming much more widely available — organic food sales
within the United States have enjoyed 17 to 20 percent growth for the past few
years while sales of conventional food have grown at only about 2 to 3 percent a
year. This large growth is predicted to continue, and many companies are jumping
into the market.
Claims, of benefits of organic farming are subject to dispute. One vocal critic,
Anthony Trewavas, has written detailed critiques of organic agriculture.
Types of organic food
Mixed organic bean sproutsSee also: Organic farming for information on the
production of organic food.
Organic foods can be either fresh or processed, based on production methods.
Fresh food
Fresh, "unprocessed" organic food, such as vegetables and fruits are purchased
directly from growers, at farmers' markets, from on-farm stands, supermarkets,
through speciality food stores, and through community-supported agriculture
(CSA) projects. Unprocessed animal products like organic meat, eggs, dairy, are
less commonly available in "fresh" form.
In Australia, organic eggs must be from free-range hens, rather than from
battery chickens. Animals for the organic market may not be fed growth hormones
or drugs such as steroids or antibiotics.
Processed food
Often, within the same supermarket, both organic and conventional versions of
products are available, although the price of the organic version is usually
higher (see modern developments). Most processed organic food comes from large
food conglomerates producing and marketing products like canned goods, frozen
vegetables, prepared dishes and other convenience foods.
Processed organic food usually contains only organic ingredients, or where there
are a number of ingredients, at least a minimum percentage of the plant and
animal ingredients must be organic (95% in Australia). Any non-organically
produced ingredients must still meet requirements. It must be free of artificial
food additives, and is often processed with fewer artificial methods, materials
and conditions (no chemical ripening, no food irradiation, and no genetically
modified ingredients, etc.).
They may also be required to be produced using energy-saving technologies and
packaged using recyclable or biodegradable materials when possible.
Identifying organic food
At first, organic food comprised mainly fresh vegetables. Early consumers
interested in organic food would look for chemical-free, fresh or minimally
processed food. They mostly had to buy directly from growers: "Know your farmer,
know your food" was the motto. Personal definitions of what constituted
"organic" were developed through firsthand experience: by talking to farmers,
seeing farm conditions, and farming activities. Small farms grew vegetables (and
raised livestock) using organic farming practices, with or without
certification, and the individual consumer monitored.
Consumer demand for organic foods continues to increase, and high volume sales
through mass outlets, like supermarkets, is rapidly replacing the direct farmer
connection. For supermarket consumers, food production is not easily observable,
and product labelling, like "certified organic", is relied on. Government
regulations and third-party inspectors are looked to for assurance.
A "certified organic" label is usually the only way for consumers to know that a
processed product is "organic".
Legal definition
The National Organic Program (run by the USDA) is in charge of the legal
definition of organic in the United States and does organic certification. It
administers the Organic Seal to products and producers that meet strict
requirements.Main article: Organic certification
To be certified organic, products must be grown and manufactured in a manner
that adheres to standards set by the country they are sold in:
Australia: NASAA Organic Standard.
Britain: Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards and the Soil Association
Canada: Canada Gazette, Government of Canada.
Japan: JAS Standards.
United States: National Organic Program (NOP) Standards.
Sweden: KRAV
In the United States, the Organic Food Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C.A. §
6501-22) required that the USDA develop national standards for organic products.
The regulations (7 C.F.R. Part 205) are enforced by the USDA through the
National Organic Program under this act. These laws essentially require that any
product that claims to be organic must have been manufactured and handled
according to specific NOP requirements. A USDA Organic seal identifies products
with at least 95% organic ingredients.
Motivations
Main article: Motivations for organic agriculture
Defining the benefits of organic food has largely been left to word of mouth,
occasional media coverage, and the promotional efforts of organic advocates.
Even though many large food and beverage corporations, like Kraft Foods, have
rapidly moved to acquire significant stake in both fresh and processed organic
products, the specific sales points of "organics" go largely unmentioned on
product packaging and in advertising.
These comparisons need to be evaluated with care because neither conventional
nor organic farming practices are uniform.
Environmental impact
In several surveys that have looked at smaller studies to build an overall
comparison between conventional and organic systems of farming a general
agreement on benefits has been built. In these surveys it has been found that:
Organic farms do not release synthetic pesticides into the environment — some of
which have the potential to harm local wildlife.
Organic farms are better than conventional farms at sustaining diverse
ecosystems, i.e., populations of plants and insects, as well as animals.
When calculated either per unit area or per unit of yield, organic farms use
less energy and produce less waste, e.g., waste such as packaging materials for
chemicals.
See "Organic FAQs" in the journal Nature for more details.
One study found a 20% smaller yield from organic farms using 50% less fertilizer
and 97% less pesticide. Studies comparing yields have had mixed results.
Supporters claim that organically managed soil has a higher quality and higher
water retention. This may help increase yields for organic farms in drought
years. One study of two organic farming systems and one conventional found that,
in one year's severe crop season drought, organic soybean yields were 52% and
96% higher than the conventional system and organic maize yields were 37% higher
in one system, but 62% lower in the other. Studies are also consistent in
showing that organic farms are more energy efficient.
It is generally accepted that organic farming requires more land due to the loss
of output to insects and mold. Studies have shown that, area-for-area, organic
produces as little as half the output of conventional farming.
Numerous scientists — including Greenpeace cofounder Patrick Moore — believe
organic farming poses a far greater threat than conventional farming to the
environment and to wildlife.
Because organic farming requires more land to generate the same agricultural
output, it is estimated that, if the entire world population were to switch to a
completely all-organic diet tomorrow, it would require the immediate clearing of
six-million square miles of wildlife habitat -— an area almost twice the size of
Canada.
Pesticides and farmers
For those who work on farms, there have been many studies on the health effects
of pesticide exposure. Even when pesticides are used correctly, they still end
up in the air and bodies of farm workers. Through these studies, organophosphate
pesticides have become associated with acute health problems such as abdominal
pain, dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, as well as skin and eye problems.
In addition, there have been many other studies that have found pesticide
exposure is associated with more severe health problems such as respiratory
problems, memory disorders, dermatologic conditions, cancer, depression,
neurologic deficits, miscarriages, and birth defects. Summaries of peer-reviewed
research have examined the link between pesticide exposure and neurological
outcomes and cancer in organophosphate-exposed workers.
However, in fact, conventional farming may be the best way to protect
farmworkers and their families from health risks associated with the volumes of
pesticide to which they can be exposed. Conventional farming can include
genetically-modified crops — which organic farming opposes. These
genetically-modified crops often require less or no pesticide spraying and
studies have shown a reduction in pesticide usage and environmental footprint.
Also, non-organic farmers are exposed to far fewer food-borne microorganisms,
such as E.coli.
Pesticide residue
Most conventionally grown foods are sprayed with pesticides. However, this does
not necessarily translate into actual pesticide residues clinging to
conventionally farmed food by the time it reaches market. In fact, some studies
suggest that (because such microscopic traces are easily rubbed off during
handling, washing and shipping) 90 percent of non-organic food ends up being
completely pesticide-free.
There is controversial data on the health implications of certain pesticides.
The herbicide Atrazine, for example, has been shown in some experiments to be a
teratogen, even at concentrations as low as 0.1 part per billion, to emasculate
male frogs by causing their gonads to produce eggs — effectively turning males
into hermaphrodites. However, Anthony Trewavas and numerous other prominent
scientists such Bruce Ames and Lois Swirsky, have put forth that concerns about
residues are greatly over-stated and that naturally occurring chemicals offer
the same or greater risks.
In fact, weight-for-weight, pesticide residues are less toxic than numerous
other chemicals found everywhere, such as salt , caffeine , or vitamin B6.
Organic farming standards do not allow the use of synthetic pesticides, but they
do allow the use of certain so-called natural pesticides, such as those derived
from plants. The most common organic pesticides, accepted for restricted use by
most organic standards, include Bt, pyrethrum, and rotenone. Some organic
pesticides, such as rotenone, have high toxicity to fish and aquatic creatures
with some toxicity to mammals including humans.
A study published by the National Research Council in 1993 determined that for
infants and children, the major source of exposure to pesticides is through
diet. A recent study in 2006 measured the levels of organophosphorus pesticide
exposure in 23 schoolchildren before and after replacing their diet with organic
food. In this study it was found that levels of organophosphorus pesticide
exposure dropped dramatically and immediately when the children switched to an
organic diet. However, the fact that diet is the major source of pesticide
ingestion — a rather obvious fact — does not mean that pesticides are ingested
at amounts that could ever prove harmful; modern pesticides biodegrade into
harmless components in the body; and food residue limits established by law are
set specifically with children in mind and consider a child's lifetime ingestion
of each pesticide.
The US Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies periodically review
the licensing of suspect pesticides, but the process of de-listing is slow. One
example of this slow process is exemplified by the pesticide Dichlorvos, or DDVP,
which as recently as the year 2006 the EPA proposed its continued sale. The EPA
has almost banned this pesticide on several occasions since the 1970s, but it
never did so despite considerable evidence that suggests DDVP is not only
carcinogenic but dangerous to the human nervous system — especially in children.
Taste
A 2001 study by researchers at Washington State University concluded, under
judgement by a panel of tasters, that organic apples were sweeter. Along with
taste and sweetness, the texture as well as firmness of the apples were also
rated higher than those grown conventionally. These differences are attributed
to the greater soil quality resulting from organic farming techniques compared
to those of conventional farming.
A small study looking at processed organic foods, found participants could not
differentiate organic and conventional varieties of a rice cakes or vitabrits.
Nutritional value
Some studies have shown higher nutrient levels in organic fruit and vegetables
compared with conventionally grown. However, due to the difficulty with
designing such experiments, the evidence is not considered conclusive.
Most studies — including a 2002 meta-analysis, which is a review of all past
studies on the subject — found no proof that organic food offers greater
nutritional values, more consumer safety or any distinguisable difference in
taste.
Food safety
Conventional food does contain pesticide residues — often multiple residues. In
contrast, a study published in 2002 showed that "Organically grown foods
consistently had about one-third as many residues as conventionally grown
foods."
It is important to note that there is a general misconception that organic food
is synthetic pesticide-free. This is a myth. Several studies have found
synthetic pesticide residue on about 25 percent of organic food
While it may be expected that conventional food would be more likely to carry
synthetic pesticide residues, studies in Canada show a different picture. While
up to about 25 percent of organic food carries residues of synthetic pesticides
— synthetic, not organic — annual and comprehensive Canadian government studies
by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency consistently find that only about 10
percent of conventionally farmed food carries any pesticide residues at all.
The Canadian studies are relevant because samples of all foods sold in Canada
are included in the annual testings — whether farmed in Canada or in the United
States or some other country. (A large amount of food that is sold in Canada is
imported from the USA, including about 90 percent of all organic food sold in
Canada.)
So, the Canadian studies suggest, consumers could be paying a lot more money for
organic food that offers similar, or even greater, odds of containing synthetic
pesticide residues than the less costly non-organic versions. The reason so few
conventional food products carry any synthetic residues at all by the time they
are consumed is believed to be that residues wash or rub off during rainfall,
harvesting, shipping to plants, bulk washing, packaging, transport to
distributors, further washing, repackaging, shipping to retail outlets, handling
by shoppers, washing at home, trimming, and cooking.
Yet, the potential health effects of pesticide residues found in food are
virtually nonexistent. Modern analytical chemistry is capable of detecting such
small quantities of a substance — even a single molecule — that a "positive"
result is meaningless. Many scientists think that such residues are without
effect.
Pesticides are subjected to a battery of tests before they can be approved by
the EPA and "residue tolerances" are established above which produce exceeding
these tolerances cannot be sold. These tolerances take into account the maximum
amount of any pesticide that anyone could ever ingest in an entire lifetime,
from all possible food sources, assuming a worst case scenario.
Scientists question the relevance of studies in which rodents are fed an average
of almost 400,000 times the amount of a pesticide that a human would ever ingest
in a lifetime.
Organic advocates worry about toxic effects of combining pesticides. However,
“the effect of multiple pesticides with similar function is considered when
establishing toxicology levels,” says noted scientist Christine Bruhn of the
University of California, at Davis.
People fear pesticides will accumulate in their bodies. But today’s pesticides
are biodegradable, disintegrating in the environment and inside our bodies into
harmless molecules. “Very few pesticides bio-accumulate or are hard to
metabolize,” says scientist Bruce Ames, of the University of California at
Berkeley.
Organic proponents claim “we don’t know” where pesticides end up or what happens
to metabolites, the breakdown components. But scientists do know exactly where
these compounds go, exactly when and how they break down and where their
metabolites go. They conduct numerous metabolism studies — analyzing blood,
urine, exhaled breath, fat tissue and so on — for the initial chemical and all
metabolites related to each pesticide. In fact, every molecule of a pesticide’s
metabolites is tracked to its final destination. Using what is called metabolic
analysis, a radioactive label or marker is attached to every molecule of the
pesticide before testing. This allows scientists to follow every molecule
through the body to see how many leave in feces or in urine, and how many settle
in body organs and for how long. Radioactive testing is so stringent that
scientists really do know where every molecule of a pesticide and its
metabolites ultimately ends up.
In fact, very few pesticides ever make it all the way through such rigorous
testing to approval. Compare prescription medicines — which we ingest
deliberately — with pesticides. Only one drug out of every 5,000 makes it all
the way from lab to pharmacy. But after an average 9.1 years of testing, only
one active pesticide ingredient is ultimately approved for every 140,000 that
are first synthesized.
Furthermore the professors Lois Swirsky Gold and Bruce Ames argue :"Whereas
public perceptions tend to identify chemicals as being only synthetic and only
synthetic chemicals as being toxic, every natural chemical is also toxic at some
dose," and have shown that 50% of all natural chemicals in food gave a positive
test as a carcinogen when tested in rodents, casting doubt on any link of food
residues and cancer risk.
Author Thomas DeGregori argues that at the heart of the organic food movement
are feelings of anti-technology and anti-modern science and points out that it
is modern science, after all, that has increased the life expectancy of many
people and helps to feed the world's growing population.
Sustainability
Newer non-organic practices, particularly no-till agriculture, which relies on
herbicides to clear the land, offer considerable improvements in energy
efficiency. Anthony Trewavas argues that the sustainability of organic
agriculture is less than that of conventional agriculture (see Trewavas (2000)
).
Soil benefits: Trevavas also argues that many of the soil benefits of organic
agriculture have been demonstrated to be due to crop rotation, which is not an
exclusively organic strategy (see Trewavas (2000) cited above).
Land usage: Organic food growers lose a significantly larger portion of their
crops to pests, mold, etc, and therefore require significantly higher land usage
to generate the same amount of product. One study shows that a crop of organic
tomatoes, for example, would use approximately 642% more land than one grown via
conventional methods.
Organic farming could deepen world hunger: Virtually all experts, including
Greenpeace cofounder Patrick Moore, PhD, agree that to feed an expected 9
billion people by 2050, farm output must triple. Without greater productivity,
that would require 108 percent of Earth’s land area. Higher conventional yields
are the answer, stresses Moore. By contrast, organic farming offers far less
than conventional yields — as much as 50 percent less.
Pesticide use: While organic agriculture aims to keep pesticide use to a
minimum, it is a common misconception that organic agriculture does not use
pesticides. Some pesticides used on organic farms contain the heavy metal
copper, which can lead to copper accumulation in the soil. Other pesticides that
are approved for use by organic producers include ryania, sabadilla, and
rotenone. The botanical pesticide sabadilla is toxic to honeybees, and according
to the California Department of Environmental Protection its mammalian
toxicology has not been fully studied.
Toxicity of "organic pesticides": Conventional pesticides must be thoroughly
studied before they can be placed on the market However, such studies are not
required for the pesticides used in organic agriculture.
John Kent, Lecturer in Agricultural Protection, from the School of Agriculture
at Charles Sturt University in Australia supports the idea that organically
grown food is not as sustainable, arguing that while organically grown food
certainly has its place in today's free market, the world population could not
be fed with pesticide-free agriculture.
Organic food is expensive
Critics claim that organic food is more expensive than conventional food and
thus too highly priced to be affordable to persons on a lower income. Organic
products typically cost 10 to 40% more than similar conventionally produced
products. Processed organic foods vary greatly in price when compared to their
conventional counterparts. An Australian study by Choice magazine in 2004 found
processed organic foods in supermarkets to be 65% more expensive, but noted this
was not consistent. Some products were more than twice the price (such as
chocolate), others were similarly priced (jam).
Prices may be higher because organic produce is produced on a smaller scale, and
may need to be milled or processed separately.
Commercialization
Organic food began as a small movement with farmers rejecting the use of
conventional farming practices. With the market share of Organic food outpacing
much of the food industry many big companies have moved into this market. With
these large companies, and with the creation of a legal certification framework
(2002 in the US), there is worry that the very definition of organic food will
change from what it used to be.
History
Main article: History of organic farming
Modern agriculture, utilizing large amounts of artificial chemical inputs,
monocultures, and intensive farming methods, is a recent phenomenon. Indeed, one
could argue that almost the entire history of agriculture consists of what would
be now termed "organic farming".
Rising consumer awareness of organic methods began in the 1950s with the
promotion of organic gardening. In the 1960s and 1970s, one effect of a growing
grassroots concern with environmental issues was the appearance of more
elaborate approaches to organic food, including food-buying co-ops and dedicated
organic producers. In the 1970s and 1980s, private sector organic certification
and development of regulations at the governmental level began around the world.
In the 1990s, formal organic certification began to be legislated in various
countries, and this trend continues to today. During the same period, the
organic food market experienced a sustained surge in growth, expanding at around
20% a year (exceeding the rest of the food industry by a factor of at least 10).
Organic baby food is popular too, sales of which increased 21.6 percent in 2006,
while baby food overall has only grown 3.1 percent in the same year. The first
years of the 21st century saw multinational food corporations taking major
stakes in the organic market, and this has dramatically increased the variety,
availability and falling cost of processed organic food.
Modern developments
The prices for organic food have been, and continue to be, higher than their
conventional counterparts. This is because farmers who grow organic food have to
meet stricter quality standards to have their products certified organic. More
labor is required to achieve this, bringing up the cost.
Since the 1980's there has been a growth trend in supermarkets that carry large
volumes of organic food. This includes Whole Foods Market in the US, and
Waitrose in the UK. With large volume sales, these retailers have been bringing
the price of organic food down.
In the United States the pressure to bring the cost down will vastly increase
soon because in 2006, Wal-Mart, the largest grocery retailer, announced plans to
increase the amount of organic food available in its stores. Both conventionally
grown and organic versions of certain products will be available, but Wal-Mart
intends to keep the price of the organic versions to no more than 10% over the
price of the conventionally grown counterparts.
Because of Wal-Mart's size and business practices, their move into selling
organic food has some people worried. Specifically, the increase in demand for
organic food will require that more organic produce be imported. Secondly, the
push to lower prices might "virtually guarantee that Wal-Mart's version of cheap
organic food is not sustainable".
Related movements
Various alternative organic standards are emerging. They generally bypass formal
certification, which can be expensive and cumbersome, and provide their own
definition of organic food. One such, the Authentic Food standard, proposed by
leading US organic farmer Eliot Coleman, includes criteria that are incompatible
with current agribusiness:
All foods are produced by the growers who sell them.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs and meat products are produced within a
50-mile radius of their place of their final sale.
The seed and storage crops (grains, beans, nuts, potatoes, etc.) are produced
within a 300-mile radius of their final sale.
Only traditional processed foods such as cheese, wine, bread and lactofermented
products may claim, "Made with Authentic ingredients."
Some are also implementing new approaches to defining and buying food.
Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is one such approach, that cuts out all
the middlemen by having consumers partner with local farmers. CSA members
prepurchase "shares" in a season's harvest, and pick up their weekly portions
from distribution sites. Thus, consumers provide direct financing for farms,
participate in the risks and rewards of annual growing conditions, and
participate with farmers in distribution networks.
CSA is one example of "buying locally," which is often valued by both the
organic food consumer and producer. Generally speaking, locally-grown seasonal
food can be brought to market more quickly than food that has to be transported
long distances, and therefore can be better tasting and to some degree more
nutritious by virtue of its freshness. Additionally, the act of buying foods
that are locally-grown benefits local farmers and other employers. This local
food approach is seen as a direct investment in one's own community and a way to
reduce economic dependence.
Organic food is also often linked with the fair trade movement, based on the
principle that social and environmental sustainability are inextricably
interdependent.
Facts and statistics
Organic Seals
United States
Japan
Germany
Australia
Greece
While organic food accounts for 1–2% of total food sales worldwide, the organic
food market is growing rapidly, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in
both developed and developing nations.
World organic food sales were US $23 billion in 2002.
The world organic market has been growing by 20% a year since the early 1990s,
with future growth estimates ranging from 10-50% annually depending on the
country.
In the United States, where organic food is federally regulated by the National
Organic Program:
"Organic products are now available in nearly 20,000 natural food stores and 73%
of conventional grocery stores, and account for approximately 1-2% of total food
sales in the U.S." — Feb 2003
Two thirds of organic milk and cream and half of organic cheese and yogurt are
sold through conventional supermarkets.
In the European Union, organic food is regulated by the EU-Eco-regulation
Austria:
The government has created incentives so that within the next few years, 10% of
its food will comprise locally grown organic foods.
Germany:
Baby food is almost exclusively organic, and over 30% of bread baked in Munich
is organic.
Italy:
Existing legislation calls for all school lunches to be organic by 2005.
Poland:
Since May 2004, products of certified organic farms in Poland are allowed to
carry the EU organic farming label, but it is not obligatory. This sign
certifies that a given product was produced according to the EU 2092/91 organic
farming regulation and therefore can be freely traded and marketed on the whole
Common Market. In 2005 already 168,000 ha of land were under organic management.
The value of the organic market in Poland is estimated at Eur 50 million (2006).
UK:
By January 2005, 686,100 ha of land was managed to organic standards. Organic
food sales increased from just over ￡100 million in 1993/94 to ￡1.21 billion in
2004 (an 11% increase on 2003).
In Cuba:
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, the government converted the
entire country to organic agriculture, and currently organic agriculture is the
mainstream and many pesticides are not permitted by law. However, Cuba defines
"organic" differently from many countries and encourages genetically engineered
crops, particularly those with enhanced nutritional content and vaccines from
GMO plants.
See also
Organic Farming
Sustainable agriculture
Genetically Modified Food
Natural foods
Seasonal food
Whole foods
The Future of Food (a documentary film about genetically modified food, also
with a segment on organic food).
Ecological living
Community-supported agriculture
The Real Dirt on Farmer John (a documentary film about organic food grown in
accordance with biodynamic principles)
References
^ Organic Food Standards and Labels: The Facts. National Organic Program.
Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
^ Family Farms. Local Harvest. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
^ Hansen, Nanette (2004). Organic food sales see healthy growth (html). MSNBC.
Retrieved on 2006-06-20.
^ Warner, Melanie. "What Is Organic? Powerful Players Want a Say". New York
Times: Nov. 1, 2005.
^ Trewavas, Anthony (March 2001). "Urban myths of organic farming". Nature 410:
409-410.
^ Trewavas, Anthony (2004). "A critical assessment of organic farming-and-food
assertions with particular respect to the UK and the potential environmental
benefits of no-till agriculture". Crop Protection 23: 757–781.
DOI:doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2004.01.009.
^ a b c d e Choice, October 2004.
^
^ Background Information. USDA (October 2002).
^ "Corporate Industry Structure: 2005", by Phil Howard, Center for Agroecology
and Sustainable Food Systems, University of California, Santa Cruz.
^ Stolze, M.; Piorr, A.; H?ring, A.M. and Dabbert, S. (2000) Environmental
impacts of organic farming in Europe. Organic Farming in Europe: Economics and
Policy Vol. 6. Universit?t Hohenheim, Stuttgart-Hohenheim.
^ Hansen, Birgitte; Alr?e, H. J. & Kristensen, E. S. (Jan 2001). "Approaches to
assess the environmental impact of organic farming with particular regard to
Denmark". Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 83: 11-26.
DOI:doi:10.1016/S0167-8809(00)00257-7.
^ Nelson et.al (April 2004). "Organic FAQs". Nature 428: 796-798.
DOI:10.1038/428796a.
^ Mader, et.al. (2002). "Soil Fertility and Biodiversity in Organic Farming".
Science 296: 1694–1697.
^ Welsh, Rick (1999). "Economics of Organic Grain and Soybean Production in the
Midwestern United States". Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative
Agriculture.
^ Johnston, A. E. (1986). "Soil organic-matter, effects on soils and crops".
Soil Use Management 2: 97-105.
^ Lotter, D. W., Seidel, R. & Liebhardt W. (2003). "The performance of organic
and conventional cropping systems in an extreme climate year". American Journal
of Alternative Agriculture 18: 146-154.
^ Reganold et.al (April 2001). "Sustainability of three apple production
systems". Nature 410: 926-930.
^ The Bichel Committee. 1999. Report from the main committee. Danish
Environmental Protection Agency. Conclusions and recommendations of the
Committee: 8.7.1 Total phase-out. Report not available in print but posted
online at:
http://www.mst.dk/udgiv/Publications/1998/87-7909-445-7/html/kap08_eng.htm#8.7.1.
“A total abolition of pesticide use would result in an average drop in farming
yields of between 10% and 25%, at the farm level; the smallest losses would
occur in cattle farming. On farms that have a large proportion of special crops,
such as potatoes, sugar beet and seed grass, the production losses in terms of
quantity would be closer to 50%. These crops would probably be ousted by other
crops.”
^ Patrick Moore, PhD, cofounder of Greenpeace and currently, Chairman,
Greenspirit Strategies Ltd., 305 - 873 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B
2M6
^ Linda A. McCauley, et.al. (2006). "Studying Health Outcomes in Farmworker
Populations Exposed to Pesticides". Environmental Health Perspectives 114.
^ Ecobichon DJ. 1996. Toxic effects of pesticides. In: Casarett and Doull's
Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons (Klaassen CD, Doull J, eds). 5th ed.
New York:MacMillan, 643–689.
^ Arcury TA, Quandt SA, Mellen BG (2003). "An exploratory analysis of
occupational skin disease among Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers in North
Carolina". Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health 9 (3): 221–32.
^ O'Malley MA (1997). "Skin reactions to pesticides". Occupational Medicine 12:
327–345.
^ Daniels JL, Olshan AF, Savitz DA. (1997). "Pesticides and childhood cancers".
Environmental Health Perspectives 105: 1068–1077.
^ Kamel F, et.al. (2003). "Neurobehavioral performance and work experience in
Florida farmworkers". Environmental Health Perspectives 111: 1765-1772.
^ Firestone JA, Smith-Weller T, Franklin G, Swanson P, Longsteth WT, Checkoway
H. (2005). "Pesticides and risk of Parkinson disease: a population-based
case-control study". Archives of Neurology 62: 91-95.
^ Engel LS, O'Meara ES, Schwartz SM. (2000). "Maternal occupation in agriculture
and risk of limb defects in Washington State, 1980–1993". Scandinavian Journal
of Work, Environment & Health 26 (3): 193–198.
Cordes DH, Rea DF. (1988). "Health hazards of farming". American Family
Physician 38: 233–243.
Das R, Steege A, Baron S, Beckman J, Harrison R (2001). "Pesticide-related
illness among migrant farm workers in the United States". International Journal
of Occupational and Environmental Health 7: 303–312.
Eskenazi B, Bradman A, Castorina R. (1999). "Exposures of children to
organophosphate pesticides and their potential adverse health effects".
Environmental Health Perspectives 107: 409–419.
Garcia AM (2003). "Pesticide exposure and women's health". American Journal of
Industrial Medicine 44 (6): 584–594.
Moses M. (1989). "Pesticide-related health problems and farmworkers". American
Association of Occupational Health Nurses 37: 115–130.
Schwartz DA, Newsum LA, Heifetz RM. (1986). "Parental occupation and birth
outcome in an agricultural community". Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment
& Health 12: 51-54.
Stallones L, Beseler C. (2002). "Pesticide illness, farm practices, and
neurological symptoms among farm residents in Colorado". Environ Res 90: 89–97.
Strong, LL, Thompson B, Coronado GD, Griffith WC, Vigoren EM, Islas I. (2004).
"Health symptoms and exposure to organophosphate pesticides in farmworkers".
American Journal of Industrial Medicine 46: 599–606.
Van Maele-Fabry G, Willems JL. (2003). "Occupation related pesticide exposure
and cancer of the prostate: a meta-analysis". Occupational and Environmental
Medicine 60 (9): 634–642.
^ Alavanja MC, Hoppin JA, Kamel F. (2004). "Health effects of chronic pesticide
exposure: cancer and neurotoxicity". Annual Review of Public Health 25: 155–197.
^ Kamel F, Hoppin JA (2004). "Association of pesticide exposure with
neurological dysfunction and disease". Environmental Health Perspectives 112:
950–958.
^ http://www.pgeconomics.co.uk/pdf/globalimpactstudyfinal.pdf
^ http://www.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=publication_details&id=660
^ University of Minnesota. Journal of Food Nutrition, May 2004. vol
67(5):894-900
^ Journal of Food Protection, Vol. 67, No. 5, 2004, Pages 894–900
^ Canadian Cancer Society. Website:
http://www.cancer.ca/ccs/internet/standard/0,3182,3172_372059_266317_langId-en,00.html
^ Tyrone Hayes, Kelly Haston, Mable Tsui, Anhthu Hoang, Cathryn Haeffele, and
Aaron Vonk (2003). "Atrazine-Induced Hermaphroditism at 0.1 ppb in American
Leopard Frogs". Environmental Health Perspectives 111.
^ Trewavas, Anthony (March 2001). "Urban myths of organic farming". Nature 410:
409-410.
^ Trewavas, Anthony (2004). "A critical assessment of organic farming-and-food
assertions with particular respect to the UK and the potential environmental
benefits of no-till agriculture". Crop Protection 23: 757–781.
DOI:doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2004.01.009.
^
http://www.sra.dst.tx.us/srwmp/tcrp/state_of_the_basin/sabine_basin_currents/articles/2001/20010117_01.asp
^
http://www.sra.dst.tx.us/srwmp/tcrp/state_of_the_basin/sabine_basin_currents/articles/2001/20010117_01.asp
^ http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/p7753.htm
^ National Research Council (1993). Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and
Children, 1st, National Academies Press. ISBN 0-309-04875-3.
^ Lu, Chensheng, et al. (2006). "Organic Diets Significantly Lower Children’s
Dietary Exposure to Organophosphorus Pesticides". Environmental Health
Perspectives 114: 260-263.
^ Raeburn, Paul (2006). "Slow-Acting: After 25 years the EPA still won't ban a
risky pesticide". Scientific American 295: 26.
^ Green, Emily (2001). "Washington Apple Study Finds Organic Growing Is Best".
Nature.
^ Bourn D, Prescott J. January 2002. A comparison of the nutritional value,
sensory qualities, and food safety of organically and conventionally produced
foods. Critical Reviews in Food Science Nutrition. 42(1): 1-34.
^ Williams, C. M. February 2002. Nutritional quality of organic food: shades of
grey or shades of green? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 61(1): 19-24
^ Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA). Organically Grown Produce: Does
organic produce taste better? & Is organic produce more nutritious?
^ Sir John Krebs. June 5, 2003. Is organic food better for you? Speech given by
the then-chair of the Food Standards Agency (UK), Sir John Krebs, to the
Cheltenham Science Fair on June 5, 2005. Posted on the Food Standards Agency
website: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2003/jun/cheltenham
^ "[http://www.consumersunion.org/food/organicsumm.htm Pesticide residues in
conventional, IPM-grown and organic foods: Insights from three U.S. data
sets.]". Food Additives and Contaminants 19 (5): 427-446. Retrieved on
2007-01-28.
^ Goldberg, Adam (2002-05-08). [http://www.consumersunion.org/food/organicpr.htm
Consumers Union Research Team Shows: Organic Foods Really DO Have Less
Pesticides]. Consumers Union. Retrieved on 2007-01-27.
^ Consumers Union. December 15, 1997. Are organic foods as good as they’re
grown? A landmark consumer reports study. Consumers Union Press Release.
“One-quarter of the organic produce samples that Consumer Reports tested had
some pesticide residues on them, compared with 77 percent of the conventional
samples.”
^ Consumers Union. January, 1998. Greener Greens: The Truth About Organic Food.
Consumer Reports 63(1): pages 12-18.
^ Baker et al. May, 2002. Pesticide residues in conventional, IPM-grown and
organic foods: Insights from three U.S. data sets. Summary: Analysis and
Results: Frequency of Positive Samples. Food Additives and Contaminants: volume
19, No. 5, pages 427-446. “Frequency of Positive Samples: Organically grown
samples consistently had far smaller percentages with residues: 23, 6.5 and 27
percent in the USDA, DPR and CU data, respectively.”
^ Environmental Science & Technology Online. January 11, 2006. Organic
vegetables not pesticide-free. Science News.
^ Canadian Cancer Society. Website:
http://www.cancer.ca/ccs/internet/standard/0,3182,3172_372059_266317_langId-en,00.html
^ Canadian Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable
Development. May, 2000. Pesticides: Making the Right Choices. Appendix 8.3,
Table 2: Total Number of Pesticides Without Detectable Residues (W.D.R.).
http://www.parl.gc.ca/InfoComDoc/36/2/ENVI/Studies/Reports/envi01-e.html
^ Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Food Safety Directorate, Food Microbiology
and Chemical Evaluation. 2005. Report On Pesticides, Agricultural Chemicals,
Environmental Pollutants and Other Impurities in Agri-Food Commodities of Plant
Origin: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, 2004–2005.
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/microchem/resid/2004-2005/plaveg_ffe.shtml
^ Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Food Safety Directorate, Food Microbiology
and Chemical Evaluation. 2005. Report On Pesticides, Agricultural Chemicals,
Environmental Pollutants and Other Impurities in Agri-Food Commodities of Plant
Origin: Processed Fruit and Vegetables, 2004–2005.
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/microchem/resid/2004-2005/plaveg_ptimpe.shtml
^ Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Food Safety Directorate, Food Microbiology
and Chemical Evaluation. 2004. Report On Pesticides, Agricultural Chemicals,
Environmental Pollutants and Other Impurities in Agri-Food Commodities of Plant
Origin: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, 2003–2004.
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/microchem/resid/2003-2004/plaveg_e.shtml#frefra
^ Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Food Safety Directorate, Food Microbiology
and Chemical Evaluation. 2004. Report On Pesticides, Agricultural Chemicals,
Environmental Pollutants and Other Impurities in Agri-Food Commodities of Plant
Origin: Processed Fruit and Vegetables, 2003–2004.
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/microchem/resid/2003-2004/plaveg_pte.shtml
^ Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Food Safety Directorate, Food Microbiology
and Chemical Evaluation. 2005. Report On Pesticides, Agricultural Chemicals,
Veterinary Drugs, Environmental Pollutants and Other Impurities in Agri-Food
Commodities of Animal Origin, 2005–2005.
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/microchem/resid/2004-2005/anima_e.shtml#dailai
^ Canadian Food Inspection Agency. 2003. Report on Pesticides Residues in Baby
Food 2002 – 2003. Infant and Junior Baby Food Chemical Residues Project.
^ Chem-News October 1990. Cornell University. Retrieved on 2006-10-06.
^ Christine M. Bruhn, PhD, Director, Center for Consumer Research, Department
Food Science and Technology, 109 Food Science Building, One Shields Ave.,
University of California, Davis, CA, USA 95616-8598
^ Bruce N. Ames, PhD, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the
University of California at Berkeley, & senior scientist at Children’s Hospital
of Oakland Research Institute. Childrens Hospital Oakland Research Institute
(CHORI), 5700 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland CA 94609, USA
^ Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 111, Number 16, December 2003.
^ Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency.
http://www.inchem.org/documents/jmpr/jmpmono/2002pr14.htm#1.2.6.2
^ http://www.ppdi.com/corporate/faq/about_drug_development/home.htm
^ http://www.immunetrics.com/tech.htm
^ Phillips McDougall. April 2003. The Cost of New Agrochemical Product
Discovery, Development and Registration in 1995 and 2000, Final Report. A
Consultancy Study for Crop Life America and the European Crop Protection
Association
^ Gold, Lois; Slone, T.H., Ames, B.N., and Manley, N.B. (2001). "Pesticide
Residues in Food and Cancer Risk: A Critical Analysis.". In: Handbook of
Pesticide Toxicology, (2nd ed.): 799-843, Academic Press.
^ DeGregori, Thomas R. (2004). Origins of the Organic Agriculture Debate. Iowa
State Press, Ames, Iowa, 211 p. ISBN 0-8138-0513-9
^ Trewavas, Anthony (March 2001). "Urban myths of organic farming". Nature 410:
409-410.
^ Trewavas, Anthony (2004). "A critical assessment of organic farming-and-food
assertions with particular respect to the UK and the potential environmental
benefits of no-till agriculture". Crop Protection 23: 757–781.
DOI:doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2004.01.009.
^ Organic farming 'no better for the environment' (February 2007).
^ Patrick Moore, PhD, Chairman, Greenspirit Strategies Ltd., 305 - 873 Beatty
Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 2M6
^ Joe Fattorini. The Herald (UK). January 3, 2006. Why we must all give up
organic in 2006. http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/53522-print.shtml
^ Patrick Moore, PhD, Chairman, Greenspirit Strategies Ltd., 305 - 873 Beatty
Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 2M6
^ The Bichel Committee. 1999. Report from the main committee. Danish
Environmental Protection Agency. Conclusions and recommendations of the
Committee: 8.7.1 Total phase-out. Report not available in print but posted
online at:
http://www.mst.dk/udgiv/Publications/1998/87-7909-445-7/html/kap08_eng.htm#8.7.1.
“A total abolition of pesticide use would result in an average drop in farming
yields of between 10% and 25%, at the farm level; the smallest losses would
occur in cattle farming. On farms that have a large proportion of special crops,
such as potatoes, sugar beet and seed grass, the production losses in terms of
quantity would be closer to 50%. These crops would probably be ousted by other
crops.”
^ Organic Pest Control (2006-07-25). Idaho Association of Soil Conservation
Districts (2004).
^ http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/toxsums/pdfs/521.pdf
^ Phillips McDougall. April 2003. The Cost of New Agrochemical Product
Discovery, Development and Registration in 1995 and 2000, Final Report. A
Consultancy Study for Crop Life America and the European Crop Protection
Association
^ Pesticides in Agriculture. The Regional Institute. Retrieved on 2006-10-6.
^ Winter, CK and SF Davis, 2006 "Organic Foods" Journal of Food Science
71(9):R117-R124.
^ Shapin, Steven. "Paradise Sold." The New Yorker, May 15, 2006.
^ AGOVINO, THERESA (2007). Wary Parents Stir Organic Baby Foods (html).
Associated Press. Retrieved on 2007-04-24.
^ Warner, Melanie. "Wal-Mart Eyes Organic Foods", New York Times, May 12, 2006.
^ Scheuer, Kif (2006). Wal-mart's organic bomb (html). Grist Magazine. Retrieved
on 2006-06-04.
^ Gogoi, Pallavi. "Wal-Mart's Organic Offensive", Business Week, March 29, 2006.
^ Pollan, Michael. "Mass Natural: With Wal-Mart going organic, where will
organic go?", New York Times Magazine, June 4, 2006.
^ "Authentic Food — Authentic Farming", by Eliot Coleman, Mother Earth News.
^ The Global Market for Organic Food & Drink (html). Organic Monitor (2002).
Retrieved on 2006-06-20.
^ Catherine Greene and Carolyn Dimitri (2003). Organic Agriculture: Gaining
Ground (html). USDA Economic Research Service. Retrieved on 2006-06-20.
^ Dryer, Jerry (2003). Market Trends: Organic Lessons (html). Prepared Foods.
Retrieved on 2006-06-20.
Contact Information
Call our office today to set up an appointment. Learn more about how we can
help you, and learn more about the other services that we can offer you. All
messages we receive will be answered as soon as possible. We look forward to
hearing from you.
- Electronic mail
- General Information:
