Our Southern Odyssey

“Why We Buy Organic Produce”

We buy organic produce for several different reasons.  First, we want to try and limit our exposure to toxins that are found in high amounts in some fruits and vegetables.  Second, we want to support small eco-friendly farms.  Organic farms do not use harsh chemicals when preparing the soil for planting or when the crops are growing.  An organic farmer has to follow intense regulations set up by the USDA National Organic Program, which states that they cannot use synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMOs), petroleum-based and sewage sludge-based fertilizers.  These harmful chemicals deplete the soil that the produce is grown in.  Fruits and vegetables are only as good as the soil that they are grown in.  Better soil!  Better produce!  Less toxins in the soil means less toxins in the food.  According to the Toxics Action Center, pesticides cause numerous problems in the health of people including “reproductive and developmental effects, cancer, kidney and liver damage, endocrine disruption” as well as many many more (“Pesticides”).

Organic farmers do not receive the benefits that commercial farmers do.  The price that you pay for organics, actually represent the cost of the food, where as conventional farmers receive money from the government to subsidize their price.  Only 0.5 percent of farms in the USA are organic.  That is a significantly small number.  These farmers depend on people wanting the products they sale; therefore, there is increased pressure to produce high quality fruit and vegetables.  The plus is that as the demand for organics continue to grow prices will continue to fall.  Economics actually works with organic farming.  Because of the demand in organics and sustainable farming practices I have noticed more and more local farmers moving to organic practices as well as becoming certified organic.

When purchasing organics check the sales ads for the different grocery stores in your area.  Grocery stores will put their organics on sales just as they do their conventional produce.  Many organic companies do offer coupons.  If there is a particular organic brand you like, check out their website for coupons.  Organics can be cost efficient if you check for sales and use coupons when buying.  Also, most importantly, buy food in season.  Remember to check with your local Farmers Market and talk to the farmers to see if they are using organic farming practices.  As I stated earlier, some farmers do follow organic practices even though they are not certified organic.  So don’t rule out a farmer just because they are not certified organic.  Here are three sample questions that you could ask a farmer at the Farmers Market to know if they are following organic practices.

1. Do you treat the soil with any herbicide before planting?

2. Do you use any synthetic pesticides on the produce as the plants are growing?

3. What type of fertilizer do you use on your farm?

Treating the soil with a herbicide to kill the grass before planting is not a safe practice.  Why add unnecessary toxins to the ground where food will be planted for consumption?  As stated above, synthetic pesticides as well as petroleum-based fertilizers deplete the soil quality.  Remember plants are alive and the better care they are given, the better the food the plant produces.  However, if you want to be one hundred percent sure that a farmer is using organic methods when farming, talk to your certified organic farmers at the Farmers Market.

Joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a good way to save money on organics.  In a CSA you pay a fee to the farm and the farm uses the money to purchase seeds and grow the food.  Then all the people, who paid the fee, gets a selection of produce on a routine basis from the farm.

If you are wondering which fruits and vegetables, that are conventionally grown and have the highest levels of pesticide residue on them visit the  EWG.com.  They list fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticides called the “dirty dozen”.  These are the fruits and vegetables that you should try to buy organic, if you can.  They also have a list called the “clean fifteen”, which list produce with the lowest levels of pesticides.  If you cannot find organics these conventionally grown fruits and vegetables from the “clean fifteen” are an option.

At the top of the EWG.com ,“dirty dozen” list, is strawberries.  This is one fruit that I will never eat unless it is certified organic.  The sheer volume of chemicals used on conventional strawberries are alarming.  Pesticides as a whole are damaging to human health.  According to the Environmental Working Group, investigations editor Walker and senior analyst Lunder note that “nearly 300 pounds of pesticides were applied to each acre of strawberries” in California, where most of the USA strawberries are grown (Walker).

There are many benefits to eating organic produce.  Organic produce is safer in the fact that the food has not been bombarded with unnecessary and oftentimes unsafe pesticides. Organic produce is grown in a manner that is not foreign to nature.  The crops have more nutrients and higher antioxidants in them.  Also, organic farms are usually small farms that are trying to produce the best fruits and vegetables that they can.  So next time, you are in the grocery store or at the Farmers Market try buying some organic produce and taste the difference.

Sources:

“Pesticides: The Problem”. Toxics Action Center pesticides.  Toxics Action Group.  Web.  6 July 2017. <https://toxicsaction.org/issues/pesticides/>.

Walker, Bill, Sonya Lunder.  Pesticides + Poison Gases = Cheap, Year-Round Strawberries.  Bill Walker, Sonya Lunder, Web.  6 July 2017. <https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/strawberries.php#.Wag5M63MzBI>.

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Provided are additional resources on the dangers of toxins used in conventional farming.

The Organic Center is a non-profit research and education organization that has exceptional resources on organic farming.  https://www.organic-center.org

The Environmental Working Group has many resources about foods that have the most pesticides and the least, as well as the resources about pesticides that are in products that are used in the home.  http://www.ewg.org