Organic foods are not healthier...or pesticide free.

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Organic foods are not healthier...or pesticide free.<br>Organic farming is a marketing ploy that exploits the appeal to nature fallacy

Dr. Andrea Love<br>Mar 22, 2024

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As a biomedical scientist, it has never failed to annoy me that the term ‘organic’ has been co-opted to spread misinformation. Before we get into the topic as it relates to foods (and other consumer products), I just want to emphasize that the term organic in chemistry has a VERY different meaning. And we will talk a lot more about that in the future!<br>But since the EWG is out there yet again circulating their fear-mongering “Dirty Dozen” list, it bears explaining what organic actually means.<br>The organic foods industry is a $181.5 BILLION dollar industry as of 2022, with an expected annual growth rate of 11.2% year over year. This industry didn’t even exist until 2002, and was borne out of consumer demand and misinformation. For context, it was worth 26.7 billion dollars in 2010. That is a huge amount of growth for a market that has zero science behind it.<br>Most people have been misled to believe that organic is superior and that’s not your fault. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics has figureheads spouting that lie. Of course people wouldn’t spend more money for something that’s equivalent, so clever messaging is used to insinuate that organic foods are superior. And that is reflected in consumer perception. The number one reason that people opt to purchase organic foods is because they believe that organic foods are healthier, safer, more nutritious, or otherwise superior.<br>The reality? Organic foods are not superior, just more expensive.

The EWG and other organic activists are deliberately trying to spread misinformation in order to drive people to purchase organic produce, which is on average, around 50% more expensive than conventional counterparts.<br>Organic food is only 5-7% more expensive to produce, so the difference in price is pure profit, and as a result, organic food is almost synonymous with luxury and privilege. Organic farming is at least 22-35% more profitable than conventional agriculture, especially when factoring in the labeling “markup” that is often default: upwards of 30% more on the price tag and hitting your wallet.<br>Share

All organic means in the United States is that produce (or crops) in question are certified to have been grown on soil that had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest.

So what counts as prohibited substances? Certain synthetic chemicals. Organic farming also prohibits the use of genetically engineered seeds in cultivation. But organic farming uses PLENTY of pesticides - they just have a specific list that they deem appropriate. (I’ll discuss myths about livestock and animal products in a subsequent post)<br>One of the biggest misconceptions about organic products are that they are pesticide-free. This is false.

Organic farming uses plenty of pesticides and fungicides. A Soil Association survey demonstrated that 95% of organic food consumers said their top reason was to avoid pesticides. Sorry to burst the bubble here, folks.<br>Organic pesticides are merely pesticides that remain chemically unaltered from the chemical state derived from nature. Before you fall into the appeal to nature fallacy trap, remember that the suffix ‘-cide’ means “to kill”. It doesn’t matter whether a pesticide is a natural chemical or a synthetic chemical: they all kill certain things at certain exposures. Remember: the dose makes the poison.<br>Synthetic pesticides are chemicals that are produced from chemical alteration. But the source of a chemical has zero bearing on its potential harm or safety. and In reality, some naturally procured pesticides are deadlier or carry a higher risk than synthetic options. Remember: plants produce lots of noxious chemicals to deter predators from eating them.<br>Pesticides and herbicides added to crops reduce exposure to and damage by unwanted insects, bacteria, fungi, and weeds.

If we did not utilize pesticides for agriculture, yields of farm crops would be impacted, cost of food goods would skyrocket, and we would not be able to feed the 8.1 billion people on the planet. Organic farming uses 84% more land for the same yield, but yields are 55% lower by area than conventional.<br>“Just because something is labeled organic or natural does not mean it is safer to the homeowner or unable to cause harm to the environment. Botanically derived pesticides are not always safer; in fact, some can be more dangerous.” - Chris Enroth

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Organic pesticides are not safer than synthetic ones.

There are over 20 chemicals commonly used in the growing and processing of organic crops that are approved by the US Organic Standards. But the volume of chemicals used in organic farming aren’t recorded or monitored, even though pesticides deemed “organic” are generally less effective, so require larger...