Organic FAQs
“I understand the idea of organic fruit and vegetables, but organic milk and yogurt? Isn’t milk already pure and natural?”
Yes. Milk is an all-natural product. “Organic milk” means that the cows’ feed, such as corn, soy, and hay, was grown organically. In addition, organic regulations prohibit the use of antibiotics and synthetic growth hormones. Organic regulations also mandate specific humane animal standards, including access to fresh air and pasture. All of the milk used to make Stonyfield Farm products is from cows that have not been treated with rBST (artificial bovine growth hormone).
“Is organic food better for me and my family?”
Well-balanced soils grow strong healthy plants, which many believe taste better and contain more nutrients. In addition, ecological farming practices eliminate the use of toxic and persistent chemicals that can contaminate our food, water, soil, and air. The President’s Cancer Panel recommends reducing cancer risk by choosing foods grown without these chemicals. Exposure to pesticides can cause cancer, nervous-system and lung damage, reproductive dysfunction, and possibly dysfunction of the endocrine and immune systems. Research says pesticide exposure may also heighten the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
“Why do organic products cost more?”
The organic industry is working to improve production efficiencies, which will lower prices at the checkout. In addition, many involved in organic are striving for a sustainable agricultural system — one which is ecologically sound as well as economically viable. Paying farmers a fair price for their products is an important tenet for many involved in organic agriculture. It may help to think of the extra pennies spent on organic products as a daily contribution to your health and the health of the planet.
“What does the organic industry do to ensure safe and wholesome products?”
Certified organic growers not only are inspected by third-party independent certifiers in order to qualify for organic certification, but they also follow strict guidelines for safe and hygienic food production. As with all food producers, they must be in compliance with local, state, and federal health standards. Pasteurization, selected use of chlorine, and other food safety practices are also allowed and followed in organic production.
Conventional and organic agriculture both use manure as a part of regular farm soil fertilization programs. Certified organic farmers, however, must maintain a strict farm plan detailing the methods used to build soil fertility, including the application of manure as mandated by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. No other agricultural regulation in the United States imposes such strict control on the use of manure.
“Can organic farmers produce enough food for everybody?”
Persistent world hunger has demonstrated that agriculture alone (be it conventional or not) cannot solve food insecurity. Still, many questions are asked about the ability of organic agriculture to provide food — and many speculations are made, without any comprehensive data basis. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held an International Conference on Organic Agriculture and Food Security in May 2007 to examine food security in terms of food availability, access to food, stability of food supply systems, and food utilization; the evidence discussed demonstrates that organic agriculture has the potential to feed the world, under the right circumstances.
Reviews on organic agriculture and food security include “Reducing Food Poverty with Sustainable Agriculture: A Summary of New Evidence” (Pretty and Hine, 2001); “The Real Green Revolution: a New Report on Organic and Agro-ecological Farming in the Developing World” (Greenpeace, 2002); “Organic Agriculture and Food Security (IFOAM, 2002); “The Solution to Famine in Africa is Organic Farming not GMOs” (Berhan, The Independent, June 2005); “Organic Agriculture and Poverty Reduction in Asia” (International Fund for Agricultural Development, 2005); “Organic Agriculture and Food Security: A Global and Regional Perspective” (DARCOF, 2007); and “Can Organic Agriculture Feed the World?” (Michigan State University, 2007).
