Organic food

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An organically-grown apple. Fruits and vegetables grown organically appear similar to conventionally grown produce. In most jurisdictions, organic food must meet specified production standards, which specify growing and processing conditions different from normal agricultural and food safety requirements.
An organically-grown apple. Fruits and vegetables grown organically appear similar to conventionally grown produce. In most jurisdictions, organic food must meet specified production standards, which specify growing and processing conditions different from normal agricultural and food safety requirements.

Organic food is produced according to certain legally regulated standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. Also, at all levels, organic food is produced without the use of genetically modified organisms.[1]

Historically, organic farms have been small family-run farms[2] – which is why organic food was once only available in small stores or farmers' markets. Now, organic foods are becoming much more widely available – organic food sales within the United States have enjoyed 17 to 20 percent growth for the past few years[3] while sales of conventional food have grown at only about 2 to 3 percent a year. This large growth is predicted to continue, and many companies are jumping into the market.[4]

There is evidence that organic farms are more sustainable and environmentally sound, among other benefits. These claims, however, are subject to dispute and are not settled among scientists. One vocal critic in particular, Anthony Trewavas, has written detailed critiques of organic agriculture.[5][6]

Contents

[edit] Types of organic food

Mixed organic bean sprouts
Mixed organic bean sprouts
See also: Organic farming for information on the production of organic food.

Organic foods can be either fresh or processed, based on production methods.

[edit] Fresh food

Fresh, "unprocessed" organic food, such as vegetables and fruits are purchased directly from growers, at farmers' markets, from on-farm stands, supermarkets, through speciality food stores, and through community-supported agriculture (CSA) projects. Unprocessed animal products like organic meat, eggs, dairy, are less commonly available in "fresh" form.

Chips, cookies, and other snacks are an example of processed food.
Chips, cookies, and other snacks are an example of processed food.

[edit] Processed food

Processed food accounts for most of the items in a supermarket. Often, within the same store, both organic and conventional versions of products are available, and the price of the organic version is usually higher (see modern developments). Most processed organic food comes from large food conglomerates[7] producing and marketing products like canned goods, frozen vegetables, prepared dishes and other convenience foods.

Processed organic food usually contains only (or a specified percentage of) organic ingredients and no artificial food additives, and is often processed with fewer artificial methods, materials and conditions (no chemical ripening, no food irradiation, etc.).

[edit] Identifying organic food

At first, organic food comprised mainly fresh vegetables. Early consumers interested in organic food would look for chemical-free, fresh or minimally processed food. They mostly had to buy directly from growers: "Know your farmer, know your food" was the motto. Personal definitions of what constituted "organic" were developed through firsthand experience: by talking to farmers, seeing farm conditions, and farming activities. Small farms grew vegetables (and raised livestock) using organic farming practices, with or without certification, and the individual consumer monitored.

Consumer demand for organic foods continues to increase, and high volume sales through mass outlets, like supermarkets, is rapidly replacing the direct farmer connection. For supermarket consumers, food production is not easily observable, and product labelling, like "certified organic", is relied on. Government regulations and third-party inspectors are looked to for assurance.

A "certified organic" label is usually the only way for consumers to know that a processed product is "organic".

[edit] Legal definition

The National Organic Program (run by the USDA) is in charge of the legal definition of organic in the United States and does organic certification. It administers the Organic Seal to products and producers that meet strict requirements.
The National Organic Program (run by the USDA) is in charge of the legal definition of organic in the United States and does organic certification. It administers the Organic Seal to products and producers that meet strict requirements.
Main article: Organic certification

To be certified organic, products must be grown and manufactured in a manner that adheres to standards set by the country they are sold in:

Australia: NASAA Organic Standard.
Britain: Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards and the Soil Association
Canada: Canada Gazette, Government of Canada.
Japan: JAS Standards.
United States: National Organic Program (NOP) Standards.

In the United States, the Organic Food Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C.A. § 6501-22) required that the USDA develop national standards for organic products.[8] The regulations (7 C.F.R. Part 205) are enforced by the USDA through the National Organic Program under this act. These laws essentially require that any product that claims to be organic must have been manufactured and handled according to specific NOP requirements. A USDA Organic seal identifies products with at least 95% organic ingredients.

[edit] Arguments favoring organic food

Main article: Motivations for organic agriculture

Defining the benefits of organic food has largely been left to word of mouth, occasional media coverage, and the promotional efforts of organic advocates. Even though many large food and beverage corporations, like Kraft Foods, have rapidly moved to acquire significant stake in both fresh and processed organic products,[9] the specific sales points of "organics" go largely unmentioned on product packaging and in advertising.

These comparisons need to be evaluated with care because neither conventional nor organic farming practices are uniform.

[edit] For the environment

In several surveys that have looked at smaller studies to build an overall comparison between conventional and organic systems of farming a general agreement on benefits has been built. In these surveys[10][11] it has been found that:

  • Organic farms do not release synthetic pesticides into the environment—some of which have the potential to harm local wildlife.
  • Organic farms are better than conventional farms at sustaining diverse ecosystems, i.e., populations of plants and insects, as well as animals.
  • When calculated either per unit area or per unit of yield, organic farms use less energy and produce less waste, e.g., waste such as packaging materials for chemicals.

See "Organic FAQs" in the journal Nature for more details.[12]

One study found a 20% smaller yield from organic farms using 50% less fertilizer and 97% less pesticide.[13] Studies comparing yields have had mixed results.[14] Supporters claim that organically managed soil has a higher quality[15] and higher water retention. This may help increase yields for organic farms in drought years. One study of two organic farming systems and one conventional found that, in one year's severe crop season drought, organic soybean yields were 52% and 96% higher than the conventional system and organic maize yields were 37% higher in one system, but 62% lower in the other.[16] Studies are also consistent in showing that organic farms are more energy efficient.[17]

[edit] For producers

For those who work on farms, there have been many studies on the health effects of pesticide exposure.[18] Even when pesticides are used correctly, they still end up in the air and bodies of farm workers. Through these studies, organophosphate pesticides have become associated with acute health problems such as abdominal pain, dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, as well as skin and eye problems.[19] In addition, there have been many other studies that have found pesticide exposure is associated with more severe health problems such as respiratory problems, memory disorders, dermatologic conditions,[20][21] cancer,[22] depression, neurologic deficits,[23][24] miscarriages, and birth defects.[25] Summaries of peer-reviewed research have examined the link between pesticide exposure and neurological outcomes and cancer in organophosphate-exposed workers.[26][27]

[edit] For consumers

A study published by the National Research Council in 1993 determined that for infants and children, the major source of exposure to pesticides is through diet.[28] A recent study in 2006 measured the levels of organophosphorus pesticide exposure in 23 schoolchildren before and after replacing their diet with organic food. In this study it was found that levels of organophosphorus pesticide exposure dropped dramatically and immediately when the children switched to an organic diet.[29]

Most conventionally grown foods contain pesticides and herbicide residues. There is controversial data on the health implications of certain pesticides. The herbicide Atrazine, for example, has been shown in some experiments to be a teratogen, even at concentrations as low as 0.1 part per billion, to emasculate male frogs by causing their gonads to produce eggs – effectively turning males into hermaphrodites.[30]

The US Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies periodically review the licensing of suspect pesticides, but the process of de-listing is slow. One example of this slow process is exemplified by the pesticide Dichlorvos, or DDVP, which as recently as the year 2006 the EPA proposed its continued sale. The EPA has almost banned this pesticide on several occasions since the 1970s, but it never did so despite considerable evidence that suggests DDVP is not only carcinogenic but dangerous to the human nervous system – especially in children.[31]

A 2001 study by researchers at Washington State University concluded, under judgement by a panel of tasters, that organic apples were sweeter. Along with taste and sweetness, the texture as well as firmness of the apples were also rated higher than those grown conventionally. These differences are attributed to the greater soil quality resulting from organic farming techniques compared to those of conventional farming.[32]

[edit] Arguments opposing organic food

[edit] Food safety

Conventional food does contain pesticide residues – often multiple residues. In contrast, a study published in 2002 showed that "Organically grown foods consistently had about one-third as many residues as conventionally grown foods."[33][34] Yet, the potential health effects of pesticide residues found in food are subject to debate. One could argue that modern analytical chemistry is capable of detecting such small quantities of a substance that the meaning of a positive result is difficult to interpret, and many scientists think that such residues are without effect.[35] Pesticides are subjected to a battery of tests before they can be approved by the EPA [2] and "residue tolerances" are established above which produce exceeding these tolerances cannot be sold.

Furthermore the professors Lois Swirsky Gold and Bruce Ames argue :"Whereas public perceptions tend to identify chemicals as being only synthetic and only synthetic chemicals as being toxic, every natural chemical is also toxic at some dose," and have shown that 50% of all natural chemicals in food gave a positive test as a carcinogen when tested in rodents, casting doubt on any link of food residues and cancer risk.[36]

Author Thomas DeGregori argues that at the heart of the organic food movement are feelings of anti-technology and anti-modern science[37] and points out that it is modern science, after all, that has increased the life expectancy of many people and helps to feed the world's growing population.

[edit] Sustainability

  • Newer non-organic practices, particularly no-till agriculture, which relies on herbicides to clear the land, offer considerable improvements in energy efficiency. Anthony Trewavas argues that the sustainability of organic agriculture is less than that of conventional agriculture (see Trewavas (2000)[38][39]).
  • Soil benefits: Trevavas also argues that many of the soil benefits of organic agriculture have been demonstrated to be due to crop rotation, which is not an exclusively organic strategy (see Trewavas (2000) cited above).
  • Pesticide use: While organic agriculture aims to keep pesticide use to a minimum, it is a common misconception that organic agriculture does not use pesticides. Some pesticides used on organic farms contain the heavy metal copper, which can lead to copper accumulation in the soil. Other pesticides that are approved for use by organic producers include ryania, sabadilla, and rotenone.[40]The botanical pesticide sabadilla is toxic to honeybees, and according to the California Department of Environmental Protection its mammalian toxicology has not been fully studied.[41]
  • Toxicity of "organic pesticides": Conventional pesticides must be thoroughly studied before they can be placed on the market[citation needed]. However, such studies are not required for the pesticides used in organic agriculture[citation needed].
  • John Kent, Lecturer in Agricultural Protection, from the School of Agriculture at Charles Sturt University in Australia supports the idea that organically grown food is not as sustainable, arguing that while organically grown food certainly has its place in today's free market, the world population could not be fed with pesticide-free agriculture.[42]

[edit] Organic food is expensive

Critics claim that organic food is more expensive than conventional food and thus too highly priced to be affordable to persons on a lower income. Organic products typically cost 10 to 40% more than similar conventionally produced products.[43]

[edit] Organic food has "sold out"

Organic food began as a small movement with farmers rejecting the use of conventional farming practices. With the market share of Organic food outpacing much of the food industry many big companies have moved into this market. With these large companies, and with the creation of a legal certification framework (2002 in the US), there is worry that the very definition of organic food will change from what it used to be.[44]

[edit] History

Main article: History of organic farming

Modern agriculture, utilizing large amounts of artificial chemical inputs, monocultures, and intensive farming methods, is a recent phenomenon. Indeed, one could argue that almost the entire history of agriculture consists of what would be now termed "organic farming".

Rising consumer awareness of organic methods began in the 1950s with the promotion of organic gardening. In the 1960s and 1970s, one effect of a growing grassroots concern with environmental issues was the appearance of more elaborate approaches to organic food, including food-buying co-ops and dedicated organic producers. In the 1970s and 1980s, private sector organic certification and development of regulations at the governmental level began around the world. In the 1990s, formal organic certification began to be legislated in various countries, and this trend continues to today. During the same period, the organic food market experienced a sustained surge in growth, expanding at around 20% a year (exceeding the rest of the food industry by a factor of at least 10). The first years of the 21st century saw multinational food corporations taking major stakes in the organic market, and this has dramatically increased the variety, availability and falling cost of processed organic food.[citation needed]

[edit] Modern developments

The prices for organic food has been, and continues to be, higher than their conventional counterparts. This is because farmers who grow organic food have to meet stricter quality standards to have their products certified organic. More labor is required to achieve this, bringing up the cost.

Since the 1980's there has been a growth trend in supermarkets that carry large volumes of organic food. This includes Whole Foods Market in the US, and Waitrose in the UK. With large volume sales, these retailers have been bringing the price of organic food down.

In the United States the pressure to bring the cost down will vastly increase soon because in 2006, Wal-Mart, the largest grocery retailer, announced plans to increase the amount of organic food available in its stores.[45] Both conventionally grown and organic versions of certain products will be available, but Wal-Mart intends to keep the price of the organic versions to no more than 10% over the price of the conventionally grown counterparts.

Because of Wal-Mart's size and business practices, their move into selling organic food has some people worried.[46] Specifically, the increase in demand for organic food will require that more organic produce be imported.[47] Secondly, the push to lower prices might "virtually guarantee that Wal-Mart's version of cheap organic food is not sustainable".[48]

[edit] Related movements

Various alternative organic standards are emerging. They generally bypass formal certification, which can be expensive and cumbersome, and provide their own definition of organic food. One such, the Authentic Food standard, proposed by leading US organic farmer Eliot Coleman, includes criteria that are incompatible with current agribusiness:

  • All foods are produced by the growers who sell them.
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs and meat products are produced within a 50-mile radius of their place of their final sale.
  • The seed and storage crops (grains, beans, nuts, potatoes, etc.) are produced within a 300-mile radius of their final sale.
  • Only traditional processed foods such as cheese, wine, bread and lactofermented products may claim, "Made with Authentic ingredients."[49]

Some are also implementing new approaches to defining and buying food. Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is one such approach, that cuts out all the middlemen by having consumers partner with local farmers. CSA members prepurchase "shares" in a season's harvest, and pick up their weekly portions from distribution sites. Thus, consumers provide direct financing for farms, participate in the risks and rewards of annual growing conditions, and participate with farmers in distribution networks.

CSA is one example of "buying locally," which is often valued by both the organic food consumer and producer. Generally speaking, locally-grown seasonal food can be brought to market more quickly than food that has to be transported long distances, and therefore can be better tasting and to some degree more nutritious by virtue of its freshness. Additionally, the act of buying foods that are locally-grown benefits local farmers and other employers. This local food approach is seen as a direct investment in one's own community and a way to reduce economic dependence.

Organic food is also often linked with the fair trade movement, based on the principle that social and environmental sustainability are inextricably interdependent.

[edit] Facts and statistics

Organic Seals

United States
image:JAS_organic_seal.gif
Japan

Germany

Australia

Greece

While organic food accounts for 1–2% of total food sales worldwide, the organic food market is growing rapidly, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations.

  • World organic food sales were US $23 billion in 2002.[50]
  • The world organic market has been growing by 20% a year since the early 1990s, with future growth estimates ranging from 10-50% annually depending on the country.

In the United States, where organic food is federally regulated by the National Organic Program:

  • "Organic products are now available in nearly 20,000 natural food stores and 73% of conventional grocery stores, and account for approximately 1-2% of total food sales in the U.S." — Feb 2003[51]
  • Two thirds of organic milk and cream and half of organic cheese and yogurt are sold through conventional supermarkets.[52]

In the European Union, organic food is regulated by the EU-Eco-regulation

Austria:
  • The government has created incentives so that within the next few years, 10% of its food will comprise locally grown organic foods.[citation needed]
Germany:
  • Baby food is almost exclusively organic, and over 30% of bread baked in Munich is organic.[3]
Italy:
  • Existing legislation calls for all school lunches to be organic by 2005.[citation needed]
Poland:
  • Since May 2004, products of certified organic farms in Poland are allowed to carry the EU organic farming label, but it is not obligatory. This sign certifies that a given product was produced according to the EU 2092/91 organic farming regulation and therefore can be freely traded and marketed on the whole Common Market. In 2005 already 168,000 ha of land were under organic management. The value of the organic market in Poland is estimated at Eur 50 million (2006). [4]
UK:
  • By January 2005, 686,100 ha of land was managed to organic standards. Organic food sales increased from just over £100 million in 1993/94 to £1.21 billion in 2004 (an 11% increase on 2003). [5]

In Cuba:

  • After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, the government converted the entire country to organic agriculture, and currently organic agriculture is the mainstream and many pesticides are not permitted by law. [6] However, Cuba defines "organic" differently from many countries and encourages genetically engineered crops, particularly those with enhanced nutritional content and vaccines from GMO plants. [7][8]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

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  2. ^ Family Farms. Local Harvest. Retrieved on 2006-06-06.
  3. ^ Hansen, Nanette (2004). Organic food sales see healthy growth (html). MSNBC. Retrieved on 2006-06-20.
  4. ^ Warner, Melanie. "What Is Organic? Powerful Players Want a Say". New York Times: Nov. 1, 2005.
  5. ^ Trewavas, Anthony (March 2001). "Urban myths of organic farming". Nature 410: 409-410. 
  6. ^ Trewavas, Anthony (2004). "A critical assessment of organic farming-and-food assertions with particular respect to the UK and the potential environmental benefits of no-till agriculture". Crop Protection 23: 757–781. DOI:doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2004.01.009. 
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ Background Information. USDA (Oct 2002).
  9. ^ "Corporate Industry Structure: 2005", by Phil Howard, Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, University of California, Santa Cruz.
  10. ^ Stolze, M.; Piorr, A.; Häring, A.M. and Dabbert, S. (2000) Environmental impacts of organic farming in Europe. Organic Farming in Europe: Economics and Policy Vol. 6. Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart-Hohenheim.
  11. ^ Hansen, Birgitte; Alrøe, H. J. & Kristensen, E. S. (Jan 2001). "Approaches to assess the environmental impact of organic farming with particular regard to Denmark". Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 83: 11-26. DOI:doi:10.1016/S0167-8809(00)00257-7. 
  12. ^ Nelson et.al (April 2004). "Organic FAQs". Nature 428: 796-798. DOI:10.1038/428796a. 
  13. ^ Mader, et.al. (2002). "Soil Fertility and Biodiversity in Organic Farming". Science 296: 1694–1697. 
  14. ^ Welsh, Rick (1999). "Economics of Organic Grain and Soybean Production in the Midwestern United States". Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture. 
  15. ^ Johnston, A. E. (1986). "Soil organic-matter, effects on soils and crops". Soil Use Management 2: 97-105. 
  16. ^ Lotter, D. W., Seidel, R. & Liebhardt W. (2003). "The performance of organic and conventional cropping systems in an extreme climate year". American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 18: 146-154. 
  17. ^ Reganold et.al (April 2001). "Sustainability of three apple production systems". Nature 410: 926-930. 
  18. ^ Linda A. McCauley, et.al. (2006). "Studying Health Outcomes in Farmworker Populations Exposed to Pesticides". Environmental Health Perspectives 114. 
  19. ^ Ecobichon DJ. 1996. Toxic effects of pesticides. In: Casarett and Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons (Klaassen CD, Doull J, eds). 5th ed. New York:MacMillan, 643–689.
  20. ^ Arcury TA, Quandt SA, Mellen BG (2003). "An exploratory analysis of occupational skin disease among Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers in North Carolina". Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health 9 (3): 221–32. 
  21. ^ O'Malley MA (1997). "Skin reactions to pesticides". Occupational Medicine 12: 327–345. 
  22. ^ Daniels JL, Olshan AF, Savitz DA. (1997). "Pesticides and childhood cancers". Environmental Health Perspectives 105: 1068–1077. 
  23. ^ Kamel F, et.al. (2003). "Neurobehavioral performance and work experience in Florida farmworkers". Environmental Health Perspectives 111: 1765-1772. 
  24. ^ Firestone JA, Smith-Weller T, Franklin G, Swanson P, Longsteth WT, Checkoway H. (2005). "Pesticides and risk of Parkinson disease: a population-based case-control study". Archives of Neurology 62: 91-95. 
  25. ^ Engel LS, O'Meara ES, Schwartz SM. (2000). "Maternal occupation in agriculture and risk of limb defects in Washington State, 1980-1993". Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health 26 (3): 193–198. 
    Cordes DH, Rea DF. (1988). "Health hazards of farming". American Family Physician 38: 233–243. 
    Das R, Steege A, Baron S, Beckman J, Harrison R (2001). "Pesticide-related illness among migrant farm workers in the United States". International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 7: 303–312. 
    Eskenazi B, Bradman A, Castorina R. (1999). "Exposures of children to organophosphate pesticides and their potential adverse health effects". Environmental Health Perspectives 107: 409–419. 
    Garcia AM (2003). "Pesticide exposure and women's health". American Journal of Industrial Medicine 44 (6): 584–594. 
    Moses M. (1989). "Pesticide-related health problems and farmworkers". American Association of Occupational Health Nurses 37: 115–130. 
    Schwartz DA, Newsum LA, Heifetz RM. (1986). "Parental occupation and birth outcome in an agricultural community". Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health 12: 51-54. 
    Stallones L, Beseler C. (2002). "Pesticide illness, farm practices, and neurological symptoms among farm residents in Colorado". Environ Res 90: 89–97. 
    Strong, LL, Thompson B, Coronado GD, Griffith WC, Vigoren EM, Islas I. (2004). "Health symptoms and exposure to organophosphate pesticides in farmworkers". American Journal of Industrial Medicine 46: 599–606. 
    Van Maele-Fabry G, Willems JL. (2003). "Occupation related pesticide exposure and cancer of the prostate: a meta-analysis". Occupational and Environmental Medicine 60 (9): 634–642. 
  26. ^ Alavanja MC, Hoppin JA, Kamel F. (2004). "Health effects of chronic pesticide exposure: cancer and neurotoxicity". Annual Review of Public Health 25: 155–197. 
  27. ^ Kamel F, Hoppin JA (2004). "Association of pesticide exposure with neurological dysfunction and disease". Environmental Health Perspectives 112: 950–958. 
  28. ^ National Research Council (1993). Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children, 1st, National Academies Press. ISBN 0-309-04875-3. 
  29. ^ Lu, Chensheng, et al. (2006). "Organic Diets Significantly Lower Children’s Dietary Exposure to Organophosphorus Pesticides". Environmental Health Perspectives 114: 260-263. 
  30. ^ Tyrone Hayes, Kelly Haston, Mable Tsui, Anhthu Hoang, Cathryn Haeffele, and Aaron Vonk (2003). "Atrazine-Induced Hermaphroditism at 0.1 ppb in American Leopard Frogs". Environmental Health Perspectives 111. 
  31. ^ Raeburn, Paul (2006). "Slow-Acting: After 25 years the EPA still won't ban a risky pesticide". Scientific American 295: 26. 
  32. ^ Green, Emily (2001). "Washington Apple Study Finds Organic Growing Is Best". Nature. 
  33. ^ "[http://www.consumersunion.org/food/organicsumm.htm Pesticide residues in conventional, IPM-grown and organic foods: Insights from three U.S. data sets.]". Food Additives and Contaminants 19 (5): 427-446. Retrieved on 2007-01-28. 
  34. ^ Goldberg, Adam (2002-05-08). [http://www.consumersunion.org/food/organicpr.htm Consumers Union Research Team Shows: Organic Foods Really DO Have Less Pesticides]. Consumers Union. Retrieved on 2007-01-27.
  35. ^ Chem-News October 1990. Cornell University. Retrieved on 2006-10-06.
  36. ^ Gold, Lois; Slone, T.H., Ames, B.N., and Manley, N.B. (2001). "Pesticide Residues in Food and Cancer Risk: A Critical Analysis.". In: Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology, (2nd ed.): 799-843, Academic Press. 
  37. ^ DeGregori, Thomas R. (2004). Origins of the Organic Agriculture Debate. Iowa State Press, Ames, Iowa, 211 p. ISBN 0-8138-0513-9
  38. ^ Trewavas, Anthony (March 2001). "Urban myths of organic farming". Nature 410: 409-410. 
  39. ^ Trewavas, Anthony (2004). "A critical assessment of organic farming-and-food assertions with particular respect to the UK and the potential environmental benefits of no-till agriculture". Crop Protection 23: 757–781. DOI:doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2004.01.009. 
  40. ^ Organic Pest Control (2006-07-25). Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts (2004).
  41. ^ http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/toxsums/pdfs/521.pdf
  42. ^ Pesticides in Agriculture. The Regional Institute. Retrieved on 2006-10-6.
  43. ^ Winter, CK and SF Davis, 2006 "Organic Foods" Journal of Food Science 71(9):R117-R124.
  44. ^ Shapin, Steven. "Paradise Sold." The New Yorker, May 15, 2006.
  45. ^ Warner, Melanie. "Wal-Mart Eyes Organic Foods", New York Times, May 12, 2006.
  46. ^ Scheuer, Kif (2006). Wal-mart's organic bomb (html). Grist Magazine. Retrieved on 2006-06-04.
  47. ^ Gogoi, Pallavi. "Wal-Mart's Organic Offensive", Business Week, March 29, 2006.
  48. ^ Pollan, Michael. "Mass Natural: With Wal-Mart going organic, where will organic go?", New York Times Magazine, June 4, 2006.
  49. ^ "Authentic Food - Authentic Farming", by Eliot Coleman, Mother Earth News.
  50. ^ The Global Market for Organic Food & Drink (html). Organic Monitor (2002). Retrieved on 2006-06-20.
  51. ^ Catherine Greene and Carolyn Dimitri (2003). Organic Agriculture: Gaining Ground (html). USDA Economic Research Service. Retrieved on 2006-06-20.
  52. ^ Dryer, Jerry (2003). Market Trends: Organic Lessons (html). Prepared Foods. Retrieved on 2006-06-20.

[edit] Further reading

On Organics
On Conventional vs Organic Farming
  • Guthman, Julie (2004). Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-24095-2. 
  • Hamilton, Denis; Crossley, Stephen (editors) (2004). Pesticide residues in food and drinking water. J. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-48991-3. 
  • Hond, Frank et.al. (2003). Pesticides: problems, improvements, alternatives. Blackwell Science. ISBN 0-632-05659-2. 
  • Watson, David H. (editor) (2004). Pesticide, veterinary and other residues in food. Woodhead Publishing. ISBN 1-85573-734-5. 
  • Wargo, John (1998). Our Children's Toxic Legacy: How Science and Law Fail to Protect Us from Pesticides. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-07446-8. 
  • Williams, Christine (2002). "Nutritional quality of organic food: shades of grey or shades of green?". Proceedings of the Nutrition Society: 19-24. 

[edit] External links

Organic Food at the Open Directory Project (suggest site)

[edit] Pesticides and food

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