Common Questions About Organic Farming

Is Organic Food Safe to Eat?

It is a common misconception that organic food could be at greater risk of E. coli contamination because of raw manures application. Conventional farmers commonly apply tons of raw manure as well with no regulation whatsoever.

Organic standards set strict guidelines on manure use in organic farming: either it must be first composted, or it must be applied at least 90 days before harvest, which allows ample time for microbial breakdown of any pathogens.

Why does organic food cost more?

• There is mounting evidence that if all the indirect costs of conventional food production were factored into the price of food, organic foods would cost the same, or more likely be cheaper than conventional food.

• The cost of organic food is higher than that of conventional food because the organic price tag more closely reflects the true cost of growing the food: substituting labor and intensive management for chemicals, the health and environmental costs of which are borne by society.

• These costs include cleanup of polluted water and remediation of pesticide contamination.

• The intensive management and labor used in organic production are frequently (though not always) more expensive than the chemicals routinely used on conventional farms.

• Organic growers, for the most part, do not receive the same level of governmental support in the form of farm subsidies and research that other farmers receive. The prices of organic products, therefore, more directly reflect the actual costs of production. As production capacity and demand for organic products increases, organic growers and processors will be able to take advantage of economies of scale, which may result in lower prices.

How do organic farmers fertilize crops? How do they control pests, diseases, weeds?

• Organic farmers build healthy soils by nourishing the living component of the soil, the microbial inhabitants that release, transform, and transfer nutrients. Soil organic matter contributes to good soil structure and water-holding capacity.

• Cover crops, compost, and biologically based soil amendments produce healthy plants that are better able to resist disease and insect predation.

• Organic farmers use cover crops and sophisticated crop rotations to change the field ecology, effectively disrupting habitat for weeds, insects, and disease organisms.

• Weeds are controlled through crop rotation, mechanical tillage, and hand-weeding, as well as through cover crops, mulches, flame weeding, and other management methods.

• Organic farmers rely on a diverse population of soil organisms, beneficial insects, and birds to keep pests in check. When pest populations get out of balance, growers implement a variety of strategies such as the use of insect predators, mating disruption, traps and barriers.

• Whenever you purchase organic products, you are making an investment in the future. Your choice tells farmers, producers and retailers you care about the health of the planet and want them to continue their environmentally friendly production practices.

Produce with heaviest load of pesticides

Always buy these foods organic if you can. If organic is not available, you may want to choose fruits and veggies that are consistently less contaminated.

Foods that tend to be low in pesticides - Latest government test results show the following have least pesticide contamination.

http://www.downtoearth.org/articles/organic_facts.htm  

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