I like to shop systematically to keep me from wasting money on stuff I won't really eat. I start in the fresh produce where I picked up a bunch of very green bananas. I like it when they're green they last so much longer. Moved on to the dairy. Hit up the meat counter. You get the point.
When I was putting away my groceries, I noticed that my bananas had a sticker that said:
"CERTIFIED ORGANIC FRUIT"
I was ticked. I don't normally buy organic fruit and I have a few reasons why.
- I don't buy organic because I live in America and have so many choices for safe, wholesome and cheap food. I don't think that our food production system is perfect, but it's pretty darn good! I believe in the system that provides us with these choices, so I choose to support conventional production when possible.
- I don't buy organic because I know many farmers and producers personally and know that they care about the environment that our food is produced in. They have to be careful with everything that they are stewards for, from the air to the soil, water and produce.
- I don't buy organic because I know what pesticides are and they do what they say - control pests! Our government sets standards and controls for the use of pesticides in food production and the levels that are safe for even the youngest humans to consume! My dad is a farmer and he had to take a strenuous licensing exam in order to utilize pesticides on his farm.The person who advises him on pesticide decisions had to take about 10 of those exams.
- I don't buy organic because I understand the science behind it. When I see a recall or new labeling on food products I commonly purchase, I check it out from a reliable and scientific source. When dairy products boast they are produced from cows not treated with rBST, I know that BST is a naturally occurring protein hormone utilized in dairy production to increase milk production in cows so that more milk can be produced from the same number of cows. I also know that it's kind of sad that producers can't utilize this technology that helps keep milk prices lower for consumers because consumers demanded that it not be used anymore. I doubt many of the people who demanded that change in the industry knew that BST is species specific and does not change the hormone levels or affect growth in humans because it is a bovine hormone.
- I don't buy organic because I don't believe it is fair marketing. When people think organic they are thinking of small farms on the side of the road that are environmentally conscious and what not, right? A lot of organic produce is grown on huge corporate farms just like the conventional counterpart. When pests threaten to take over the crop, it is just transferred over to conventional practices and loses organic labeling rights. So it's basically the same thing, only pricier at times, so I don't choose to support it.
I have made mine and I have reasons why. Do you? Please feel free to share! I love to engage in dialogue about food choices and what drives people at the supermarket.
Best,
Tera
Well, I can make similar arguments. I DO shop organic because I DO know the science, and I DO know what pesticides are and what they do. However, I do not shop organic as if it were a fad simply picking up any item that boasts its label. I shop cautiously. I DO research, and I know which products and growers are true to local, sustainable, and chemical-free agriculture. I shop because I consume and live free of toxins and nearly all processed foods. My supermarket is largely homegrown or farm-to-consumer direct --- that's where I get meat, milk, veggies, nuts, grains. Then I just make what I need from those whole, real items --- cheese, kefir, flour ground from almonds or soaked and sprouted grains, etc. That is how it should be. Then the few items that I can't make, I do buy, but I buy organic from the companies that I know and trust, and made without a list of ingredients twenty-something long. Informed, educated, smart organic shoppers DO exist and we have our reasons and we have our lifestyle. Please DO NOT make the mistake of lumping all organic shoppers together. Living natural and unprocessed is not just a shopping choice, it's a lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI DO NOT buy organic because I have seen first hand what goes on at the certified organic farms. Not only should we worry about the pesticides that are sprayed to control bugs from destroying tons of food, we should also worry about parasite control in the LIVING animal. I have seen animals suffer because they have such a high parasite burden they are not able to move about their enclosures. To really understand the science and research that goes into organic farming, it is important to see it yourself, not just read on the organic producers website.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy those bananas.
Steph,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for reading! I was really wanting some good dialogue and I am really glad you brought your opinion to the table. I apologize if my post seemed to lump organic shoppers into a category of uninformed consumers, I did not have that intention AT ALL! I simply wanted to bring up a topic and give my opinion on it, even though we are on different sides of this issue we are on the same side of promoting informed food decisions it seems. People, like yourself, who make the decisions that you do at the grocery store are extremely informed and making educated decisions every day on what you pay for at the check out stand. So, thank you again for your opinion, I hope our readers venture down to the comments to appreciate all sides of the food decisions we all make as consumers.
Best,
Tera Rooney
jadavenport,
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading the blog as well and providing your input. I hope to see a lot of comments on this to see what we can all learn from consumers who have reasons behind their purchases.
Thanks again,
Tera Rooney
dear author,
ReplyDeleteyou are completely aloof and brainwashed by cargil and monsanto.
Lui_gonz,
DeleteFirst off, thanks for reading the blog, we appreciate your interest in what our group is doing.
I find the word aloof an interesting adjective to apply to your comment. I am actually not "uninvolved and uninterested" because I am passionately blogging about an industry that I believe is important. I also have no allegiances to any specific companies that produce food. I am a student and I base my opinions on combining my education and experiences - growing up on a farm and going to college to obtain a degree that will hopefully land me in a career that contributes to the agriculture industry.
I'd like to reiterate the fact that I do not believe that organic food choices and production is wrong. There is a large consumer following for this market and I am glad that we live in a country where each of us are awarded the opportunity to vote with our pocketbooks each day. I see that you and I probably vote differently, but there is nothing wrong with engaging in constructive and interesting dialogue about what drives our choices at the grocery store.
Please feel free to contact me for further dialogue, if you wish.
Best Regards,
Tera Rooney
trooney@ksu[dot]com
Your snide comment on Lui-gonz word choice is unnecessary. That being said, it can be construed that you ARE "aloof" (uninvolved and uninterested) toward the the greater benefits of the organic movement. You flaunt you background and education to justify your single-minded perspective. I find your placating comments directed at the organic shopper offensive. You're obviously using it to mask your true feelings, "that in our country, even stupid people are entitled to their opinion". Perhaps ignorance is in the mind of the beholder.
ReplyDeleteBTW to which companies are you sending your resume?
Cargill and Monsanto as Lui-gonz may suspect?
Organic is poison! I only trust Genetically Modified Organisms because they are proven safe by the FDA and our goverment. Anything else is just against safety and against our farmers. Probably most likely liberal communists outside of the U.S.A who hate America and are jealous of successful companies like Monsanto who make an honest buck feeding the world.
ReplyDeleteIf you're happy with that, we are all free to make choices right?. You might want to watch this, it's always good to know all the information, this is a Mother's story, she has four kids - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixyrCNVVGA
ReplyDeleteIf we're so free to make choices, why did Monsanto lobby millions of dollars to keep GMO labeling off their products? Why do they spend millions every year, suing organic farmers in efforts to destroy their businesses? If their food is so safe, why did they recently stuff millions of dollars into the pockets of our sweet, caring government gangsters to make the puppet Obama sign the Monsanto Protection Act? Which, in a nutshell, is a law that releases Monsanto from all legal and civil liability if their food hurts or kills anyone... Do people even bother to think anymore? These organizations are evil, they control our government and the laws enacted with their money, and they do not care about you. Just ask the nice Monsanto scientist who wrote a retaliation letter to the coast to coast activist pushing for labeling: "the world is overpopulated anyway! If a bunch of people died, we'd be doing the world a favor!"
ReplyDeleteStupidest blog post of the millenium. I have to wonder who paid for an utterly ridiculous justification of why a person chooses not to buy organic. I can think of nobody who would post on this from the anti standpoint with so much BS that wasnt paid, end of story. Admit it and we will stop pointing it out.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteWell, this is my first visit to your blog! But I admire the precious time and effort you put into it,
especially into interesting articles you share here!
ALOKA UST-9130
"I don't buy organic because I don't believe it is fair marketing. When people think organic they are thinking of small farms on the side of the road that are environmentally conscious and what not, right? A lot of organic produce is grown on huge corporate farms just like the conventional counterpart. When pests threaten to take over the crop, it is just transferred over to conventional practices and loses organic labeling rights. So it's basically the same thing, only pricier at times, so I don't choose to support it."
ReplyDeleteI do buy organic, but this is a very good point--a lot of organic food is grown in a corporate style. I would much rather buy non organic food from a small local farmer with a good heart and conscientious mind than organic food from a huge company. It's silly to buy organic food from a corporate farm halfway across the country if there's a local farmer around. That said, I rarely set foot in a grocery store--I grow and wildcraft a lot of my own food, and buy the rest from small local organic producers. I do notice a difference in food quality from non organic food, but the healthiest food I've seen is the wild stuff.
"I don't buy organic because I know many farmers and producers personally and know that they care about the environment that our food is produced in. They have to be careful with everything that they are stewards for, from the air to the soil, water and produce." This is also a good point. I know a lot of conventional farmers that DO really care a lot about the environment and take good care of their land (which is good business, of course, but they also have a genuine desire to be good stewards). That said, I have seen firsthand the effects of agrochemicals on the surrounding environment (our land was next to a conventional farm, and the first ten yards of everything on our side was nearly dead and much depleted. I also did investigative research on a banana plantation in Costa Rica whose agrochemicals were destroying the surrounding ecosystem and nearby coral reef). But you are right--the line between organic and non organic is not that simple, and neither type of farmer deserves to be characterized as good or bad except in a case by case basis.
As for knowing the science, I can see your perspective, but I've been exposed to a lot of research that clearly shows negative health and environmental effects from agrochemicals.
Overall, I appreciate how well you expressed your views. I'm publishing the banana article next month on my blog, wildheartfood.com . I would love it if you checked it out, as I could use input from those with different perspectives who express themselves well. Thanks for your article, and I hope to dialogue with you in the future!
Best,
Nicholas
I don't know anyone who eats green bananas... Of course they're going to "last" longer...
ReplyDeleteI don't know anyone who eats green bananas... Of course they're going to "last" longer...
ReplyDeleteWhat an idiotic post! Anyone who purposefully chooses to eat fruit and vegetables that are sprayed with toxic chemicals and then crows about is, well, what I said.....an idiot.
ReplyDeleteAs for eating animals, you shouldn't do it. Period. I have no doubt that it's "better" to eat dead animal flesh from sentient beings that don't have parasites, but that sorta misses the point. These animals are basically held in concentration camps, live terrible lives, suffer needlessly, and they will be horribly murdered no matter what. But, since it's a supply and demand sort of thing, if people stopped eating them, factory farms would stop torturing them and cruelly killing them.
This is not rocket science folks. I have trouble sticking to a vegetarian diet myself, so now and again I have some wild caught salmon. That's a good compromise. Those fish get to live normal lives frolicking about in their natural habitat. Some get caught in nets, and we eat them. Hey, I'm not a saint, but I DO care, and I care about my own body enough to steer clear of foods that are riddled with pesticides.
It's not as easy because food is not considered a drug, and the symptoms are less obvious (or more subtle). You would never be pulled over for eating while driving, or being in possession of a large amount junk food, so there are no external consequences for you to deal with if you are a food addict. No one will stop you from overeating; only you have the power to stop yourself. Substance addiction begins as a learning process for the brain. Cow Ghee
ReplyDeleteIt's not as easy because food is not considered a drug, and the symptoms are less obvious (or more subtle). You would never be pulled over for eating while driving, or being in possession of a large amount junk food, so there are no external consequences for you to deal with if you are a food addict. No one will stop you from overeating; only you have the power to stop yourself. Substance addiction begins as a learning process for the brain. mexican recipes
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ReplyDeleteCancer cells are always present in the body and are normally kept in check by our body's own natural defense system. Do you know how the body's natural defense system works and where it gets the ammunition to do so? Do you know at what point the body succumbs to the disease named cancer? Millions of cancer cells are present in the body from time to time. However, when the cancer cell count reaches the billions, we know the body's natural defense system is not working. However, cancer can be cured. Studies have proven that a nutritious diet comprised of anti-oxidant foods and nutrients can cure cancer. Cancer fighting foods are as close as your local grocery store shelves. All you need is the knowledge of which particular foods and the correct recipes and you will be able to heal your cancer condition with this natural cancer cure. Mother nature has many foods available which have anti-oxidants which help the body to neutralize cancer-causing free-radicals. Cancer can be cured with cancer fighting foods. cultured ghee
ReplyDeleteIt's not as easy because food is not considered a drug, and the symptoms are less obvious (or more subtle). You would never be pulled over for eating while driving, or being in possession of a large amount junk food, so there are no external consequences for you to deal with if you are a food addict. No one will stop you from overeating; only you have the power to stop yourself. Substance addiction begins as a learning process for the brain. best cast iron skillet for outdoors
ReplyDeleteFresh vegetables... is there anything that sounds more appealing than that simple phrase? That could mean that a farm stand is just around the corner, it could mean that your pantry has just been re-stocked and waits like an artist's palette for you to create a culinary masterpiece, or it could be the answer to "what's for dinner?" carote
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
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ReplyDeleteIt's not as easy because food is not considered a drug, and the symptoms are less obvious (or more subtle). You would never be pulled over for eating while driving, or being in possession of a large amount junk food, so there are no external consequences for you to deal with if you are a food addict. No one will stop you from overeating; only you have the power to stop yourself. Substance addiction begins as a learning process for the brain. order online
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