The best reasons to buy organic food products
Protects the health of our children
The average child receives four times more exposure than an adult to at least eight widely used cancer-causing pesticides in food. This exposure to harmful residues in food will impact their lives in the future.Protects the quality of our water
Water makes up two-thirds of our body mass and covers three-quarters of the planet. Despite its importance the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that pesticides contaminate ground water in 38 states in America, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half the country's population. Organic growers and processors use practices that eliminate polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching.Protects and builds our topsoil
The Soil Conservation Service estimates that over 30 billion tons of topsoil are eroded from the U.S. crop lands annually. The cause been from intensive mono-cropping and environmentally insensitive farming practices. Soil is the most important tool of organic farmers. Rather than relying on synthetic fertilizers, they build their soil with composted manure, cover cropping and/or diverse crop rotations.Strict standards assure integrity
Organic certification standards are the public's assurance that their food and products have been grown and handled according to strict sustainable procedures without prohibited inputs. The term "certified organic" is the consumer's best assurance for organic authenticity.See the Organic Ingredients certification policy
Reduces potential health risks
Many pesticides that were approved by the EPA were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. The EPA, now considers 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides, and 30% of all insecticides as potential cancer causing.Preserves biodiversity
One of the most pressing environmental concerns facing our food source is the loss of a variety of species or biodiversity. Many organic growers are aware of this problem and have been collecting and using heirloom seed varieties for decades. Most conventional farms grow with hybridized vegetable and fruits, bred for uniformity, ease of shipping and cosmetic appearance. These growing methods have ignored the value of preserving a diversity of seed varieties, and therefore a more balanced ecosystem.Sustains rural communities
The USDA predicts that by the year 2000, half of the U.S. farm production will come from only one percent of farms. Organic farming may be one of the few avenues left for the family farm and rural communities. Many organic farms are independently owned and operated and have less than 100 acres. There are now over 10,000 U.S. farms engaged in commercial production of organic products.Protects the health of farm workers
If a health risk to consumers from the use of pesticides may be a problem, the risks are far greater for field workers. A National Cancer Institute study found that farmers exposed to herbicides had a six-times greater risk than non-farmers of contracting one type of cancer. Field workers on conventional farms, due to their direct exposure, are the most vulnerable to illness as a result of pesticide use. Organic farms eliminate this risk to their workers and themselves.Represents a true economy
Organically grown products may seem more expensive, but retail prices can be deceptive because conventionally raised and priced agricultural products represent only a fraction of the true cost. Current prices for conventionally grown foods do not reflect the costs of federal subsidies to conventional agriculture, the cost of contaminated drinking water, loss of wildlife habitat and soil erosion, or the cost of disposal and clean up of hazardous wastes generated by the manufacturing of pesticides. Cornell University estimates that a 50% reduction in pesticide use would cause only a 0.6% rise in food prices and would save $4-10 billion in environmental and healthcare costs. Consumers can pay now or pay later. When you buy organically grown products you pay now for a more sustainable environment.Makes a better tasting food
Top chefs in the country feel that food grown as organic taste better because they are grown on well balanced soils that produce a strong healthy plant. They also feel that the non-hybridized vegetables give them true flavors and maintain diversity.
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