| In 1933, Lord Northbourne published a book titled | | | | the educated consumer becomes the happy |
| 'Look to the Land,' in which he outlined certain | | | | consumer. |
| methods of food production he termed 'Organic.' | | | | Why Buy Organic? |
| His goal was to establish a view of the farm as | | | | There are as many reasons for buying organic as |
| an organism, self-contained and self-sustaining, in | | | | there are products to buy. One of the most cited |
| opposition to what he termed unsustainable | | | | reasons is improved taste and food quality over |
| 'chemical farming' relying on fertilizers and chemical | | | | industrially farmed food. Blind taste tests |
| pesticides. In large part, this organic farming was | | | | comparing conventionally and organically farmed |
| not a particular change from traditional farming | | | | apples indicated organic apples were usually |
| techniques at the time. | | | | sweeter and firmer than their competition. |
| In the mid-20th century, the 'Green Revolution' led | | | | Proponents claim the lack of additives allows the |
| to widespread methods of chemical and | | | | natural, complex flavors of the food to come out |
| industrialized farming that is still used today. As a | | | | and really captivate the consumer. |
| reaction to the perceived weaknesses of these | | | | Another incentive is for personal health. Organic |
| modern farming techniques, organic farming has | | | | food is farmed with extensive restrictions on the |
| grown in popularity in recent decades and | | | | use of pesticides, either in a complete ban or with |
| particularly in the last ten years. | | | | specific, very strict criteria for their use. Thus, the |
| What is Organic? | | | | USDA has released studies indicating that nearly |
| Briefly, organic food is that which is farmed using | | | | thirty percent of organic foods contain no |
| organic farming methods. This means excluding | | | | discernible pesticide residues, and the remainder |
| food additives and genetically modified ingredients | | | | have them in very small quantities. This is in |
| and avoiding the use of inorganic farming | | | | comparison to conventionally produced foods, |
| techniques such as chemical pesticides or crop | | | | which can have as much as two thirds more |
| irradiation. The exact definition of organic food can | | | | pesticide residue than organically produced |
| vary - according to the FDA, food is considered | | | | equivalents. Not every pesticide causes |
| Organic if it consists of 95% or more organic | | | | demonstrable harm to consumers. However, the |
| ingredients. Other markets may have greater or | | | | point is that people can make better decisions for |
| fewer restrictions, depending on the criteria of | | | | their health and their lifestyle when they know |
| various government agencies and the terms they | | | | what is and what isn't going into their bodies. |
| set. | | | | The lack of pesticides also creates an |
| Know Your Food | | | | environmental benefit important to many |
| Prior to the modern boom in organic popularity, | | | | organically minded consumers. Pesticides can and |
| the only way to be certain a product was organic | | | | do run into the local ecosystem surrounding any |
| was direct observation. Organically minded | | | | farming endeavor, and can cause havoc that may |
| consumers would visit local farms and buy directly | | | | take generations to uncover and even longer to |
| from farmers they knew to rely on organic | | | | repair. Organic farming offers less impact on the |
| techniques. They could observe firsthand the way | | | | ecology of the community and allows for a sense |
| produce was grown or the techniques used to | | | | of civic responsibility and pride in participants. |
| milk cows. They could discuss changes and | | | | A Little More Money |
| conditions with their provider, and generally the | | | | That said, organic farming does come with a |
| motto of the day was "Know your farmer, know | | | | hefty price tag. Since the same amount of land is |
| your food." | | | | producing less than conventionally farmed land, |
| This changed with the rapid increase in demand | | | | organic produce and goods can cost as much as |
| for organic food in recent years - as entire | | | | 40% more than the alternative. A half-gallon of |
| organic supermarkets such as Whole Foods came | | | | organic milk can cost as much as a full gallon of |
| into being, consumption moved into the | | | | conventionally produced milk, which affects |
| mainstream. Not everyone in the suburbs or | | | | consumers' bottom line. Fortunately, there are |
| major urban centers of the world is equipped with | | | | ways to reduce this cost, again with a little bit of |
| the knowledge or the time to get to know their | | | | research. |
| individual local farmers, and sometimes organic | | | | For example, consider organic strawberries. These |
| produce can travel a great distance between | | | | of course cost more than conventional |
| production and distribution. Thus, third party | | | | strawberries, due to the strict and exacting |
| agencies and government organizations have | | | | standards required for their production. However, |
| stepped in to create labels that certify products | | | | even the price of organic strawberries will go |
| as organic in accordance with various private and | | | | down during strawberry season, since the market |
| public standards. | | | | will be flooded with the product, both organic and |
| This does result in a disconnect, and require a | | | | conventional. So, with a bit of research consumers |
| sense of trust in these agencies. | | | | can find out what seasons are best for each |
| Concerned consumers are therefore advised to | | | | product they're interested in and buy in |
| research the standards set down by the | | | | accordance with these cycles. Additionally, many |
| certifying groups, and to do a little online research | | | | organic companies offer special coupons and sales, |
| into how they go about making their decisions. | | | | just as do traditional supermarkets. A few |
| Again, for example, the US certifies any product | | | | minutes searching the web may yield a nice |
| with at least 95% organic 'ingredients' as organic. | | | | two-for-one sale on organic corn just in time for |
| This may mean that the end product itself was | | | | a big family dinner. |
| not prepared in accordance with organic | | | | As with any passion, the key to truly getting the |
| procedures, or is packaged in an inorganic | | | | best use out of organic products comes from |
| container. A little research can help allay or | | | | information, consideration, and action. |
| confirm suspicions and concerns such as these, so | | | | |