Is organically grown food better than conventionally grown food, or is it all just marketing hype?

TO THE READER: About three weeks ago, I received a mailed solicitation from a company offering the service of weekly delivery of freshly harvested produce. The company boasts that all the produce is raised organically, which means compliance with federal regulations regarding (among other things) the application of pesticides and fertilizers according to clearly defined "organic" practices. I contacted the company to inquire about some of the claims made in the mailer. They replied to my inquiries almost immediately and were exemplary in their graciousness and effort to address my concerns. These are just plain good folk, and I wish them the best. However, the exchange did present the opportunity for closer examination of some nagging issues regarding the credibility of some of the claims made by those promoting organic food production.

In this exchange, my e-mails are in blue and the responses from the producer are in black. I have purposely not included the name of the producer. The individual is not at issue here, but rather the claims being made by the industry.

FIRST COMMUNICATION – FROM BRUCE TO THE PRODUCER

Dear G – I received your mailer a couple of days ago and had a question regarding the copy headlined "EAT ORGANIC."

In it, the copy states, "It's just plain common sense; organic food is good food and contains more antioxidants and higher nutritional content than factory-farmed food."

I've looked seemingly everywhere, but I can find absolutely no scientifically backed evidence that indicates that food grown with organic farming standards is in any way more or less nutritious than factory farmed food. (Indeed, I discovered that nearly all "organic food" is produced by the same huge farming conglomerates who produce regular crops, often simply on a different portion of the same fields. I applaud your independence.)

Doesn't "organic" define the methods by which the produce is cultivated, not the the produce itself?

As a cooking enthusiast, I certainly appreciate the flavor difference of fresh-from-the-garden vegetables versus those that have been stored for long periods, but that seems to have nothing to do with how the vegetables were grown.

I suppose what I'm wondering is: Nutritionally, isn't a carrot a carrot, regardless of the type of fertilization and pesticides that were used during its growth?

Thanks for your time.

Bruce

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FIRST RESPONSE – FROM THE PRODUCER TO BRUCE

Hi Bruce,

We received your inquiry about the nutritional value of organic food and do appreciate your interest in discovering the difference between conventionally and organically farmed fruit and produce.

You hit the nail on the head when you said 'factory farmed' organic food and yes, indeed, the nutritional content of that produce is likely the same as any conventionally produced food.

What we see as a major difference is the rate of growth of a fruit or vegetable which contributes to the different nutritional/flavor content of any produce.

In order to produce produce that sells well in this country, farmers must produce a product that is large for its particular variety. As an example, let's say a cherry will normally grow to 10 grams in size with minimal fertilizer inputs. However, Americans want cherries that grow to 15 grams and will pay more for them. So farmers are obligated to overnitrate and overprune (overstimulate) our cherry trees so they'll produce larger fruit. This results in a fruit/vegetable that contains the same amount of cells as its smaller counterpart but the cells are larger. And where the difference in nutritional value comes into play is that larger celled produce contains about the same nutritional value as the smaller one.

If, on the other hand, a product is 'factory farmed' then the nitrogen inputs become the same as a conventional farm which essentially negates any advantage an organic product may have over a conventional one. And the lack of flavor is almost the same as anything produced conventionally.

The case we always make for the products we grow is that they're not overnitrated and our inputs are low enough to bring out the flavor that the fruit/veg was intended to have. They may not be king-sized but they sure taste good! Another analogy to nutritional content is how quality dog food manufacturers make a case for their dog food...their argument goes something like this...cheap dog food has all kinds of fillers in it and it takes a lot more volume of food for the dog to get the same nutritional value. That's kind of the same argument for properly grown organic food.

And one more thing that most consumers never think much about is that organic farms are inspected to make sure they comply with all the rules of growing organic food. And that goes for large farms as well. We are limited to a very small number of safe products we can use for pest control etc. but one thing is for sure...they're safe and won't kill anyone. That certainly can't be said for conventional farmers.

I make it a point to stay away from conventionally farmed products just for my own safety. I don't want to get sick and I don't want anyone in my family to get sick either. And having been a conventional farmer many years ago, it's almost scary how poisonous conventional pesticides are and what they can do to make us sick or kill us.

All conventional pesticides arrive on the farm in a concentrated form and are mixed with water before they're applied to crops. One drop of many of these pesticides will kill a human outright. What if the operator doesn't get the concentration right? What if he applies 3 gallons of a product to the tank mix instead of 3 ounces? This is not something to take lightly and think it can't happen. Many spray operators can't read. Many spray operators don't care. Many spray operators can't take instructions properly. Many spray operators make mistakes almost daily.

We're taking chances everytime we eat conventional food because 1. It's sprayed with deadly poisons and 2. The farm and produce is not inspected.

So if the nutritional value of organic produce is not enough to convince you to see a difference, then quite possibly the safety factor might be a good reason to consider always choosing organic for the health and safety of your family.

Thanks for thinking of us and thanks for taking the time to contact us.

All the best,

G

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SECOND LETTER – FROM BRUCE TO PRODUCER

G – Thank you very much for your comprehensive response. It's a rare pleasure nowadays to have a company respond so quickly and with such care.

However, I couldn't help but note that some of the claims and concerns contained in your response don't appear to be substantiated with the information I have found. Specifically:

• You note your concerns about food safety. At least in the United States, the evidence seems to indicate that all foods (conventionally and organically farmed) have become much safer in the past thirty years or so. Ironically, this may stem from the growth of factory farming and the strict regulations enacted and enforced to ensure public safety. Also, food cleanliness is much better than in the past. Indeed, it appears that most of the food recalls (for salmonella and e-coli contamination) of the past decade or so were attributable to "organic" produce. How that happens exactly is probably tough to determine, but one possible source is the difference in using composted manure vs. chemically refined fertilizers, but it could be from any number of sources (dirty hands; bird or other animal contamination).

• Although I certainly appreciate your concern regarding farm worker safety and the potential hazards of "conventional" pesticides, I don't seem to be able to find any evidence that 1.) such poisonings actually occur frequently in the United States (in fact, I couldn't find a single instance; I was able to find instances of poisoning in undeveloped countries where handling regulations are probably more lax) and 2.) evidence that harmful levels of these pesticides remain on produce commonly available in the United States. Again, it appears that regulation and oversight has led to farming practices where farm workers are properly trained in the use of these potentially harmful chemicals. It looks like the dangers of other farm-related activities (such as driving the truck to market or climbing a ladder to pick fruit) may present a much greater level of real danger than the proper handling of pesticides.

• You make the claim to the effect that larger cherries have the same number of cells as smaller cherries, and seem to imply that, due to this, flavor is more concentrated in the smaller fruit. Really? I've been able to find no evidence that larger cherries have bigger cells. In all cases I can find, if an animal or plant is bigger, it's due exclusively to simply having more mass, attributable to more cells.

• Finally, the issue of taste. Again, in every controlled (blind) test that I have been able to find, it was determined that, generally, there was no clearly discernible difference in taste between organic and conventionally farmed foods. In my own experience, I do sometimes seem to be able to discern a flavor difference between foods that I believe might be attributed to freshness – a classic example being an apple picked directly from the tree versus one that has been stored in a Wenatchee warehouse for twelve months. But, just to be fair, I've not conducted even a simple blind comparison to test this. (I will soon.)

In summary, the benefits most often claimed for organic foods (some of which you appear to endorse) don't seem to have direct scientific evidence to substantiate them. As a matter of fact, looked at globally, it seems unequivocal that changes in farming technology, from genetics to chemically processed fertilizers and improved pesticides (safer and more specific), along with increases in distribution efficiencies, have resulted, not in higher incidences of harm, but quite the opposite. These techniques can reasonably be cited as the key factors in saving literally hundreds of millions of human beings from the terrible fate of death from starvation.

I have absolutely no issues with anyone, for whatever reasons they may have, preferring to spend their money on organically grown produce. However, with the information I have at the moment, it's difficult to come to any other conclusion than that, regarding issues of taste, safety and environmental impact, the term "organic" may be little more an effective marketing/advertising device benefitting the sales of American food producers' profits more than consumers' health.

b

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SECOND RESPONSE – FROM THE PRODUCER TO BRUCE

Hi Bruce,

Got your message about my response and it sounds like you're fairly well convinced that there's no difference between organically farmed or conventionally farmed.

I can't give you any more perspective than I have in my previous correspondence and having farmed both ways for a long time at each, all I can tell you is what I already have said and that is that the safety issue is the number one reason I stay away from conventionally farmed produce. Those pesticides may not affect you or your family or anyone you know but the chances of killing someone or making someone sick is very real for the reasons I have already outlined.

I understand the reasons you have found and the research you have done to make convincing arguments to support conventional farming vs organic.

But just remember that you're talking to an expert in this field and that is me!!

It's just like when you want the best legal advice or the best doctor, you go out of your way to make sure you're making the right choice. Well you just found the best in this particular field and any of the answers I have given you are in fact the correct ones.

Good luck with your continuing research and I hope you will understand that the answers I have given you are based on observation from both sides of the fence over a long, long, way too long a period of time!! I just wish I had a much less experience because if that was the case then I would be a lot younger and would have way more time to talk to you about this (in some cases) very controversial subject!!

All the best!

G