What's your take on organic farming, and organic food in general? I'm in the middle of some research on sources and methods because I'm working on a new spice blend that I'd like to produce organically, if possible, so it's been on my mind a lot lately. Once again in May I'll be attending the Organic Expo in Chicago, where I met a lot of interesting people from companies that create some really exceptional products.
Keep reading, if this stuff interest you.
Some interesting stuff today in a press release. Did you know that many 'organic' products aren't 100% organic?:
* 100 percent organic. Only products that have been exclusively produced using organic methods and contain only organic ingredients (excluding water and salt) are allowed to carry a label declaring "100 percent organic."* Organic. This signifies that at least 95 percent of the ingredients (by
weight, excluding water and salt) in a processed product have been
organically produced. The remaining contents can only be natural or
synthetic ingredients not available in an organic form that are
recommended by the National Organic Standards Board and allowed on the
National List (for specific information on the National List, see
http://www.ota.com/listbackground05.html). The product cannot use both
organic and non-organic versions of any ingredient that is listed as
organic. For instance, if a loaf of bread is made with organic wheat,
all of the wheat in the bread must be organic.* Made with organic. Products with 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients
may display "Made with organic [with up to three specific organic
ingredients or food groups listed]" on the front panel.* All three categories prohibit the inclusion of any ingredients produced
using genetic engineering, irradiation, or sewage sludge.* Products with less than 70 percent organic ingredients can list the
organic items only in the ingredient panel. There can be no mention of
organic on the main panel.
I've been also educating myself on an interesting debate. Can we feed the whole planet using organic methods, and is organic food even healthier in the first place?
On one side, here's an article written by Bob Goldberg, a biologist at UCLA:
Third, organic foods MAY be less safe for consumption than foods grown by conventional means. Because organic farmers use MANURE which can contain deadly strains of E. coli, salmonella, etc. there is a higher chance of picking up a bacterial infection from organically grown crops than from conventionally grown crops. The chance may be slight, but it IS higher than from food produced the conventional way....
It is naive to think that organic farming can feed the "world." Organic farming requires MANURE, which requires animals, which requires FORAGE LAND. Today there are 6.5 billion people on the face of the earth. By 2050, we may have 10 billion people. Because organic farming uses nitrogen in manure, they will have to produce significantly MORE manure to keep up with the demand to feed 3-4 billion more people. IT CANNOT BE DONE.
Okay, we have that. Now let's look at another view, written by Lim Li Ching, of the Institue of Science in Society (I-SIS):
While the study recorded increased enteric bacteria in organic soils, the researchers stressed that this was not a problem, as survival rates in soil are minimal. Critics of organic farming have disingenuously pointed to the possible human health effects of using manure. But untreated manure is not allowed in certified organic culture, and treated manure (known widely as compost) is safe - this is what is used in organic farming. Unlike conventional regimes (where manure might be used), mandatory organic certification bodies inspect farms to ensure standards are met....
Proving with stunning results that planting a diversity of crops is beneficial (compared with monocultures), thousands of Chinese rice farmers have doubled yields and nearly eliminated its most devastating disease, without using chemicals or spending more. Under the direction of scientists, farmers in Yunnan implemented a simple change that radically restricted the incidence of rice blast. Instead of planting large stands of a single type of rice, as they typically have done, they planted a mixture of two different kinds of rice: a standard rice that does not usually succumb to rice blast disease and a much more valuable sticky rice known to be very susceptible.
Hmmm... interesting stuff. On the one hand, I'm not sure I agree that organic farming requires manure, it requires compost, which doesn't have to come from animals. On the other hand, the terrific results that came from the technique of planting multiple strains of rice isn't necessarily organic, it's just smart farming.
If you have a minute, take the time to read both articles. To me, it all comes down to freshness. I'll take a good home grown tomato or orange over anything I've ever bought, anywhere.
Leaving out genetic engineering means organic food could easily be less healthy than genetically engineered food.
They may mention the rice as a feel-good example of the power of diversity, but it doesn't seem like that strong a proof that diversity is better than monoculture planting. They plant rice that "does not usually succumb to rice blast disease" and we're supposed to be surprised that there's less incidence of rice blast disease? Even besides simple numbers (half as much of the susceptible kind could theoretically lower the incidence by half), planting them together would change the distance between the susceptible plants and change the rate of transmission. (Unless, of course, the disease rate is lower than a field full of the disease resistant rice.)
Indeed, Dorkafork. Again, to me not as much an example of organic farming, beyond the use of a more resiliant plant instead of pesticides. More of a smart farming technique, which I applaud, of course. Thanks for stopping by!
Don't you think that we'll eventually have to pay the piper for all of the chemicals that we're putting out there? Taste-wise, nothing beats a nice sun-warmed homegrown tomato or a strawberry covered with dew. But it just doesn't seem to matter if it's organic or not. Pesticides bother me. Celery water works okay as does a very dilute soap solution. And planting your tomatoes with the marigolds. If you plant a field of one kind of plant, you're inviting the pest that loves that plant more than any other to come to the banquet. Gotta mix it up. Plant your beans, corn, and squash together. But this all supposes that we all have gardens. And I think that we should be able to feed ourselves if push comes to shove but not everyone wants to make that choice--it involves a lot of time and effort.
I agree, Ana. What do you mean by celery water? I hadn't heard of that, do you use it as a pesticide or to wash veggies?
I'm really glad I can grow organic herbs inside in the Arizona room, but I've got my eye on a little patch of ground at home to maybe grow some tomatoes and peppers. I'll have to pick your brain on how to go about doing it properly.
You can put cut celery in water, leave it to soak, and it's a natural pesticide. You aren't supposed to eat hugely concentrated celery soup, either. It'll make you good and sick.
Rosemary, Jasmine, Black Pepper, Collards, Brown Mustard, and Collard Greens, and Apples also have a lot of natural pesticide in them. Carcinogens to boot.
Geez, Ana, I had that for dinner. How long do I have, do you think? :-)
Organic farmers certainly till it like it is.
Oh, Diana. You didn't say that. Tell me you didn't say that. :©)