Where do you guys stand on this debate?

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  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    beemerphile1 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    i don't really worry about it either way...I buy most of my groceries, including produce at costco...they have a lot of organic stuff that doesn't really cost much more so I usually will opt for that..but I don't go out of my way to buy organic...

    I think certain things do taste better...I think organic cage free eggs taste better than not...and I like grass fed beef better...which is kind of pricey, but I don't eat that much beef.

    This is the factory farm definition of that "Cage Free" label;

    ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.oregonlive.com%2Foregonian%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F02%2F12347579-standard.jpg&f=1

    Seriously, it is perfectly legit and meets the definition of cage free.

    and?

    "Cage free" brings to mind images of chickens pecking around a barnyard...

    The carrying capacity of land for free-ranging birds is depressingly small - about 50 birds per *acre*. Packed-in birds will stay a reality, unless the US is willing to turn over the entire state of Oregon to chicken production (and nothing else).

    Where are you getting this information? All the "free range' label means in America is that chickens were allowed access to the outside. There is no requirement of how many birds per acre.

    http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms/meat-and-poultry-labeling-terms
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    beemerphile1 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    i don't really worry about it either way...I buy most of my groceries, including produce at costco...they have a lot of organic stuff that doesn't really cost much more so I usually will opt for that..but I don't go out of my way to buy organic...

    I think certain things do taste better...I think organic cage free eggs taste better than not...and I like grass fed beef better...which is kind of pricey, but I don't eat that much beef.

    This is the factory farm definition of that "Cage Free" label;

    ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.oregonlive.com%2Foregonian%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F02%2F12347579-standard.jpg&f=1

    Seriously, it is perfectly legit and meets the definition of cage free.

    and?

    "Cage free" brings to mind images of chickens pecking around a barnyard, when it's actually chickens piled up on top of eachother without cages, free to peck and scratch eachother's guts out due to stress, unless, of course, someone cuts its beak off. Many people don't understand that cage free and free range aren't the same thing. Personally, I like the idea of a miserable chicken in a cage better than a chicken in a massive justified cockfight setting. I'm not saying either is the way to go, or that I even give a crap where my eggs or chicken come from (I don't, really). Just putting the info out there.

    except you absolutely cannot mass produce the sheer volume of chicken by havin 10-15 birds around a barnyard- that's just a complete fairy tail.

    Secondly- let's be real. They are chickens. They have a brain the size smaller than a man's thumb- it's a perk that comes from being an apex predator getting to eat them.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    First World Problem

    There is no measurable benefit to "organic"...to the point that no one can agree on what organic means.
  • MarilynTC
    MarilynTC Posts: 98 Member
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    I buy food based on price and how it looks/freshness. Sometimes I buy the organic produce from Trader Joe's, but when I do that I have plans to eat it within a day or two b/c it tends to go bad faster in my experience.

    I have read a number of studies and don't really see much, if any, benefit to buying organic, so I don't seek it out.

    I grow some of my own veggies in the summer, and so far I haven't had to use any kind of pesticide on them at all, so I suppose they might be "organic."
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    CSARdiver wrote: »
    First World Problem

    There is no measurable benefit to "organic"...to the point that no one can agree on what organic means.

    What do you mean? If we are talking organic produce purchased in a store there is a definition for the label in America. I would assume other countries also have regulations for labeling.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    beemerphile1 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    i don't really worry about it either way...I buy most of my groceries, including produce at costco...they have a lot of organic stuff that doesn't really cost much more so I usually will opt for that..but I don't go out of my way to buy organic...

    I think certain things do taste better...I think organic cage free eggs taste better than not...and I like grass fed beef better...which is kind of pricey, but I don't eat that much beef.

    This is the factory farm definition of that "Cage Free" label;

    ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.oregonlive.com%2Foregonian%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F02%2F12347579-standard.jpg&f=1

    Seriously, it is perfectly legit and meets the definition of cage free.

    and?

    "Cage free" brings to mind images of chickens pecking around a barnyard, when it's actually chickens piled up on top of eachother without cages, free to peck and scratch eachother's guts out due to stress, unless, of course, someone cuts its beak off. Many people don't understand that cage free and free range aren't the same thing. Personally, I like the idea of a miserable chicken in a cage better than a chicken in a massive justified cockfight setting. I'm not saying either is the way to go, or that I even give a crap where my eggs or chicken come from (I don't, really). Just putting the info out there.

    except you absolutely cannot mass produce the sheer volume of chicken by havin 10-15 birds around a barnyard- that's just a complete fairy tail.

    Secondly- let's be real. They are chickens. They have a brain the size smaller than a man's thumb- it's a perk that comes from being an apex predator getting to eat them.

    LOL That's true. And chickens don't really need a lot of room. Even sites dedicated to raising happy chickens at home generally recommend 4 sq feet per chicken in a run (less in a coop).
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
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    I don't buy into the organic movement at all. I am extremely budget conscious and buying organic doesn't fit into my budget. Maybe if it were the same price I would, but I think I would pick whichever looked fresher. Many times the organic produce looks sad (maybe I shop at the wrong grocery store).

    This year I did join a CSA from an organic farm, but I've been incredibly disappointed. I figured going straight to the farm I'd get a decent amount of fruits and veggies - nope, very little in each box every week. I shake my head every week when I think about how many more fruits and veg. I could have gotten at the grocery store for the same amount of money.

    We do grow our own garden, but we do it to save money - not because we think it's better or healthier.
  • esmesqualor
    esmesqualor Posts: 85 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Strawblackcat wrote: »
    The organic debate is kind of a double edged sword. On the one hand, eating organically is better for the envrioment (and you!) by eliminating the use of the most harmful pesticides and herbicides during the growing process. However, on the other hand, eating organically also often means that your produce is being shipped in from th other side of the country (or even from overseas -- this is especially true in the case of most organic beef sold in the USA.) which is bad for the envrioment due to the fuel that the transportation requires. Optimally, we should eat in-season produce and meat that was grown/raised organically from local farmers.

    Obviously, this isn't possible due to logistic/cost/geographic reasons. Because of that, I take a multilayered stance on the issue. If I have the option of buying it from a local farm, I will buy it fhere, even if it isn't organic. Local produce doesn't take as much oil to get from the farm to my mouth, so it has less of an enviromental impact. You're also supporting local agriculture by doing this. Plus, many local farmers grow their products using organic methods, even if they aren't certified USDA organic. Certifacation costs a ton of money and has a lot of legal red tape involved in it, so lots of little guys aren't able to get USDA certifacation, even if they follow organic standards. Just ask them how they grow their products."


    I agree; this is an intelligent, conscious way of sorting all of this out. I am lucky enough to have a wonderful year-round large produce market that labels all produce with: where it was grown, "pesticide free", "organic", "awaiting organic certification", etc... This makes the decision making very easy. Sometimes the organic choice is just too expensive or doesn't look very good compared to the conventionally grown. In this case I decide what to buy based on my needs at the time (am I feeding a young child? will I peel the item? is skipping the item all together a better or worse choice than eating the conventionally grown option?).

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