Organic Food - Pesticides, Environment & Authenticity
How do we know the organic foods we buy are really organic? it's harder than it seems
In a previous newsletter we covered organic foods from a value perspective. Our conclusion was that they are great if you can afford them but if you can’t there’s little to worry about. Thoroughly washing produce can help reduce exposure to synthetic pesticides. Today we are going deeper into the agricultural practices and whether organic is actually healthier for you and the planet. The answer is complicated and may surprise you.
Before that here are this week’s recipes:
The rise of organic farming
Organic food is big business. With any big business there is potential for money to influence its incentives. For example, some of the organizations recommending organic foods are actually funded by organic farmers. There are also lots of loud voices, and in some circles devotion to organic foods is almost religious. But the science is mixed. Some experts claim that modern pesticides used in conventional farming are toxic for people. Other experts claim that organic farming is neither as good for the environment nor as healthy as proponents claim. What does the literature actually say?
Organic farming doesn’t mean no pesticides
One of the common misconceptions about organic farming is that it is free of pesticides. This is untrue. All farming practices use pest control, and organic farming is no different. Most of the pesticides and fertilizers that are used in organic farming do come from natural sources, but some are NOT technically organic (from biological sources) and others are more toxic than their non-organic counterparts.
For example, copper sulfate is approved for use in organic farming as a fungicide but is broadly toxic to many animals. In additional to worms, insects and fish, humans are also sensitive to copper sulfate. Some researchers are concerned about the expansion of organic farming and the potential to INCREASE health risks.
Copper sulfate is toxic over time in animal feed at around 20 mg/kg dry matter. To put this into perspective this amount is about one drop in gallon of water. Also, copper sulfate can stay in the environment for years and build up in soil and the water supply. Conversely, a synthetic fungicide like potassium phosphite has very low toxicity and breaks down quickly in the environment. However, due to the regulations on organic farming, the latest technology is not allowed, even when it’s superior.
There are a growing number of studies that highlight the dangers of organic pesticides.
Regulations are difficult to enforce
Although every organic farm needs to undergo annual inspection, these are usually prescheduled so that the farmer can provide paperwork. Less than 5% of inspections are random (probably closer to 0%). Furthermore, in the US, inspections are often conducted by third party inspectors and NOT directly by the USDA or certifying bodies. The results of these inspections is highly subject to the discretion of individual inspectors.
Also, because the demand for organic foods has greatly outpaced its supply, farmers often need to import organic supplies and feeds from overseas. Foreign countries have different standards for organic goods, and also generally have weaker oversight. According to this paper, some of the fraud in organic foods is facilitated by corrupt government officials. Of course, these are only the cases that are discovered. There is currently no simple way to test the authenticity of organic foods. So, it’s likely that many more instances of fraud in organic food remain hidden.
Conventional farming is more efficient
Conventional farming is about 25% more efficient than organic farming due to leveraging the latest technology, chemicals and GMO foods. Synthetic fertilizers are immediately available to plants at the optimal proportions so they can grow fast. Conventional pesticides are highly targeted for species and allow farmers to limit damage from weeds, pests and diseases quickly, leading to higher yields. Also, because of this specificity, conventional farming requires less intervention and labor for manual weed control.
But there are drawbacks. According to one meta analysis of farming practices, more species of bugs, birds and animals live around organic farms. This is important because diverse species helps maintain the natural environment and increase soil quality. There is also concern with pesticide and fertilizer run off from highly intense farms.
However, it’s not all positive with organic. Because of decreased efficiency with organic farming, the impact on greenhouse emissions are about the same as conventional farming. Organic farming requires more energy per pound of output. Also, organic pesticides like neem oil and pyrethrins are less effective, requiring more frequent application. Furthermore, aflatoxins and bacterial contamination are more common in organic farming.
US regulations for conventional farming are looser than Europe
Some pesticides allowed in the US are banned in Europe due to health concerns. Also, GMO crops are heavily regulated in Europe, as several countries, including France and Italy, banned their cultivation. However, European countries do allow importation of many GMO foods.
Despite laws and regulations, individual farmers have ultimate control over the fertilizers and pesticides that they use. As mentioned earlier, random inspections are very rare.
The next generation of farming
Because organic foods are often more expensive, they tend to be higher quality than conventionally farmed foods. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are safer, healthier nor free of pesticides. Furthermore, a growing body of evidence suggests that organic farming practices can often be just as detrimental to the environment as conventional farming while also being more labor intensive.
As farming technology improves this gap may widen and policies on organic regulations will need to change. Another possibility is that a new type of certification will emerge. For example, sustainable farming practices like regenerative agriculture focus on improving the quality of the soil and environment. Regenerative farming allows the farmers to choose the best tools for the environment regardless of being synthetic or natural.
The research on regenerative farming suggests that it’s not only good for the environment, it’s also good for farmers and consumers. In addition to improving the habitat and surrounding ecosystem, regenerative farming improves crop yields while using less resources than conventional farming.
Until then, if you’re doing well on organic food, there’s little reason to switch, but like with anything, it’s not always as good as the proponents want you to believe.
That’s all for this week.
All the best,
Joelle and the Precious Creatures Team