Interesting facts "why" there is organic food

On Water safety

More than 45 million Americans used drinking water that was polluted with unsafe levels of pesticides, toxic chemicals, parasites lead and other chemicals in 1996, according to the NRDC, the EWG and the Environmental Information Center.

The EWG estimates that 23 million Americans drink water contaminated by herbicides. They also believe that 1,000 deaths occur each year from such water contamination. They found that in 28 of the 29 cities tested, weed killers were found in tap water.

Every spring, farmers throughout the Midwest apply 150 million pounds of herbicides to soybean and corn fields. Rains wash large portions of these chemicals into the drinking water of 11.7 million residents. During the spring run-off of 1993, the U.S. Geological Survey noted that up to 16,000 pounds of herbicides were moving down the Mississippi River each day. Agricultural chemicals cause about half of all water pollution

On Business

Sales for organic foods and products were 3.5 billion for 1996, according to The Natural Foods Merchandiser. According to the Organic Farming Research Foundation and the Organic Trade Association, U.S. sales of organic foods exceeded $4 billion in 1997.

On the Environment

The U.S. has only 6% of the world's agricultural land, yet uses 50% of the world's pesticides (2.2 billion pounds in 1993).

On the use of pesticide residues in our food supply

While examining FDA data on dietary risks from pesticides, the EWG found that more than half the residues in 42 fruits and vegetables were concentrated in 12 crops.

Conventional produce may be treated with post-harvest pesticides without disclosure. In Leavenworth, Washington, a Safeway customer saw the produce manager spray Black Flag House and Garden Insect Killer on the apricots, plums and nectarines. Systemic pesticides cannot be washed off. The USDA found systemic pesticides in 61% of washed and peeled produce samples.

Farming methods affect the crop's nutritional value. A study in 1998 compared 38 minerals in organic and conventional apples, pears, corn, potatoes, and wheat. The organic foods averaged about twice the nutrient content and contained 25% less mercury, 29% less lead and 40% less aluminum.

Chemically dependent farming did not exist prior to World War II. Since 1945, the share of crops lost to insects increased by 20% despite a 3,300% jump in pesticide use. In 1942 only seven insect species were resistant to pesticides; today there are 504.

On the reproductive problems related to pesticide exposure

On health concerns for infants and children

Children are at a greater risk from exposure than adults. By age 5, millions of children have ingested up to 35 percent of their entire lifetime dose of some carcinogenic pesticides, according to the National Campaign for Pesticide Policy Reform.

Every day, more than one million children age 5 and under (1 out of 20) eat an unsafe dose of organophosphate insecticide. Just over half of the children who eat an unsafe level each day (575,000 children) receive this dose from apple products (such as apple juice) alone. These findings were published in 1997 by the EWG.