Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

IL SARDO — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:01:45 GMT

Organic 'has no health benefits'

news.bbc.co.uk/.../8174482.stm

There are two sides to every story. Here is the other side

of the "Organic Food" story.

il Sardo drpinna.com

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

RBdr — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:25:01 GMT

One does not need to wait years or even months to turn a poor soil into a mineral nutrient rich 100% organic soil. One can use 100% organic soil ammendments such as 'humic and fulvic acids' to turn soils,in a very short time (months or even weeks- depending on the starting health of the soil), into nutrient rich soils with: minerals, micro-organisms, oxygen, water-holding capacity, etc. Try it and taste and feel the difference!

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

RBdr — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:18:22 GMT

There are mainly 2 issues to consider:

1. "Organic certification" mainly refers to meeting the certification criteria. In principle an organic product means that it contains no chemicals or toxic materials. However, most "organic cetifications" around the world (including USA) include a list of allowables under specific circumstances. Some of these allowables are possibly acceptable others are not. I think it is good to support Organic Food Production as it is a very good first step in healing the earth and, thus, ourselves.

2. Nutritional value of organic products - Here is where we run into problems. A 100% organic vegetable or fruit, for example, does not necessarily mean a product that is 'nutrient-dense.' Level of frustose in plants and fruits is a definite indicator by which we can measure their level of energy and, consecuently, nutritional value. Their aroma and color are other important indicators. Poor soils (such as lacking the mineral spectrum base and soil microbial density), although they can be cathegorized and even certified as 100% organic, will produce poor nutritional produce.

For all those of us working in the health sector it is very important to distinguish the above differences. We must support fully the organic farmers at the same time that we push more and more for "organic produce that is also nutrient-dense!"

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

DDS_203 — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:37:29 GMT

"Buying local is therefore quickly becoming the “new organic” because it supports many of the things that the organic label once did..."

And just how do you know that the local produce is clean and safe??????

"Whatever food you’re looking to buy, whether imported organic or locally-grown, from either your local supermarket or a farmer’s market, here are the signs of a high-quality, healthy food:

It’s grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers (organic foods fit this description, but so do some non-organic foods)

It’s not genetically modified

It contains no added growth hormones, antibiotics, or other drugs

It does not contain artificial anything, nor any preservatives

It is fresh (if you have to choose between wilted organic produce or fresh conventional produce, the latter may be the better option)

It did not come from a factory farm

It is grown with the laws of nature in mind (meaning animals are fed their native diets, not a mix of grains and animal byproducts, and have free-range access to the outdoors)

It is grown in a sustainable way (using minimal amounts of water, protecting the soil from burnout, and turning animal wastes into natural fertilizers instead of environmental pollutants)

If the food meets these criteria, it is likely a good choice."

This is all well and good (advice) if you could ask and be guaranteed an honest answer. Are you kidding, there is NO way to really ever know it's organic unless you grew it yourself.

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

leej — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 21:52:59 GMT

How do the people growing their own food preserve it to use the rest of the year, without contaminating it? Plastic wrap, freezer bags, home canning lids, and foil all leech toxins.

I have found some jars with glass lids made in Europe but they are very expensive!!!!!

"Ball and Kerr Home Canning Lids...

Jarden Home Brands manufacturer of home canning lids: Ball, Kerr, Golden Harvest, and Bernardin brands follow the same rigorous FDA standards used by the commercial food packaging industry. Like the majority of commercial food packagers using glass jars with metal closures and metal sanitary cans, the coating on our home canning lids is designed to protect the metal from reacting with the food it contains. A small amount of Bisphenol A is present in the coating. The FDA does not limit Bisphenol A in commercially packaged foods."

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

leej — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:43:56 GMT

Here is a link to one MSDS sheet on Monterey Beetle Insect Spray. This is sold as an organic product. It is toxic to bees.

www.biconet.com/.../MontereySprayMSDS.pdf

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

leej — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 20:30:44 GMT

I think if the Chinese Government will not allow foreigners to inspect their farms, they should not be permitted to have organic certification. When contaminated items enter this country and are consumed, merely pulling them off the shelves is not enough.

As far as US organic standards, I think they are very disappointing. People should check out some of the MSDS sheets for the pesticides and other products that are allowed to be used on the organic food. Pyrethrum based products are allowed to be used along with others that cause harm to aquatic life. Some of them contain propylene glycol too.

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

Ms. V — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:52:28 GMT

"It must say USDA to be meaningful." Well, relatively meaningful. I suppose I'm just crying over spilled milk, but I remember when the word "organic" really meant something, before the USDA came along and redefined it so that big agribusiness could say "We're organic too!" What I want to know is whether the USDA made it illegal for a farmer who still complies with the old standards to say so on their label. Heck, if I were a farmer still operating under the older, stricter standards, I'd shout about it. Does anyone know? I poked around some at the USDA website, but I didn't find an answer.

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

Beccadog — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 23:00:16 GMT

I will still eat organically grown foods and hope that I'm supporting organic farmers. I know the alternative. And, having been chemically poisoned first with insecticides, and then with a MinWax floor stripper which contained (according to the label) mixed xylene isomers (and other petroleum distillates) are used as stabilizers and emulsifiers in insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, according to Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings www.epa.gov/.../handbook.pdf See page 196.

A lot of words have been changed in this version from the paper bound version I have in my possession. So I suspect that the Bush Administration and their friends in the petrochemical industry have made changes to the online document.

I can "feel" many of the sensations that chemical have caused in the past, and for me, with the exception of a few products, most is still organic. I buy fresh certified organic produce rather than processed foods, with the exception of dairy. And, then, my dairy only comes from Organic Valley.

When you know the alternative, organic is more important than ever. But keep in mind, wherever the water is polluted from agrochems, coal fired power plants, oil and gas drilling and other toxic industries, the food is still contaminated with such. We can have clean food if we have a president that does not take money from the fossil fuel industries, the timber industries, and others who poison for profit.

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

yanchyshyn — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 22:17:08 GMT

Another problem is that some farmers can't afford certification fees. I have friends who have always farmed organically who are in this position. If they are close enough to a place with enough population density to support it, they do CSA with people who are welcome to participate as much as they like in the growing process. The ones who are having the hardest time live in the remotest and least densely populated areas. It is ironic that transportation and other economic issues make it the hardest to do organic ag in areas that, because of their isolation, are best suited to it.

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

Leit — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:46:33 GMT

"How to Ensure Your Organic Food Really Organic?"

Simple - grow it yourself, as stated above.

This solves quite a number of problems, actually, including withdrawing energy from the industrial food system.

When will consumers learn to fight back with the only power left to them - the power of the buck?

Starve the beast. Shop frugally and carefully.

And if you have a lawn, till up some ground today. It takes time to create good soil, esp. if it's been nuked with chemical fertilizers.

Those without gardens can sprout - and can shop with intention, supporting local farmers, CSAs, quality organics.

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

upcgroup — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:58:07 GMT

I have been teaching nutrition seminars for 21 years now. I have done extensive research on "Organic" foods for the past 8 years. I would suggest that you do some research yourself. It will take some digging, but, you will find the truth about what "is" considered organic on the USDA website. It will amaze you to find what little difference there is between organic and non-organic foods. Your article talks about the non-use of certain pesticides. However, to be labeled organic, requires only smaller amounts. If you would like help with this issue, please feel free to contact me. I do believe your information you are giving to the public is some of the best out there. However, "organic" foods need more research done.

David Newingham

UPC Group International.

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

mangomer — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:59:28 GMT

Conventional Condiments

The simple solution is to make all food organic. Then each supermarket, at their own discretion according to the desires of their customers, can have special sealed checkout booths for people who insist on "having it my way". Here they can make it "conventional" in the way "they are accustomed to"; by spraying Raid, Human Sewage, Radioactive Waste and an assortment of other chemicals on it. Kind of like the extras at Jamba Juice except with no extra charge.

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

Kimberly Wenger — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:17:52 GMT

I will have my own garden next year. The growing season is winding down now, but as I get more and more educated, I have decided the only way to be sure is grow it myself.

re: Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

cowgirl7 — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:16:43 GMT

"Organic products cannot be irradiated"

This isn't the case with raw organic almonds as they are now being irradiated. Surley they will use this precedent to irradiate all organic produce as well. Any proof to the contrary would be appreciated.

Bonita