Do you buy organic?

This is my job - I inspect organic and conventional farms for a living. There are certain things which people should definately buy as organic:
1: Eggs - conventional and free range egg farmers use chemicals in the feeds called Synthatic Amino Acids - some of these are banned in the human food chain as they are carcinogens (can cause cancer) - ironically they can be used in monogastric (single stomach) animal feeds. These chemicals are banned from organic animal feeds.
2: Milk - conventiol farmers have no restriction on the amount of processed compound feed given to dairy cows - in fact they do not even have to have access to pasture - this means on some dairy farms cattle never set foot in the fields. On orgnaic farms they have to have a minimum of 60% forage on a daily basis and they have to have access to pasture when weather permits. Due to the 60% forage rule most organic dairy farmers feed red clover silage which is high in protein but as a side health benefit this also generates more omega oils in the milk produced.
3: Fruit and veg if you can afford it - some conventional lettuce for example can be sprayed 10 x - sprays banned in organic production systems.
4: meat if you can afford it especially pork and chicken - if you have ever seen a broiler house containing 30 - 100,000 birds you would never buy conventional poultry again. Organic birds have to have access to pasture and the stocking densities are massively different. Also pigs in conventional intensive systems is awful - fed and live on slatted floors with a slurry pit underneath them. Organic pigs ahve to have to have access to pasture, wallows and shade - their is nothing finer than seeing an organic pig rooting around a field.
5: GM depending on your belief and morals. 90% of conventional animals feed will contain GM modified organisms. These are outrightly banned in organic production. Use will result in instant de-certification of all production enterprises in contact with the GM product including fields which the animals have been on.

Hope this helps to enlighten your decisions,
S.

I would like to point out in regards to number 2 that organic food does NOT mean free range food. Although it's more ideal to eat animal that were treated with more dignity, being fed organically doesn't mean free range as well. Free range doesn't mean organically either. As well depending on the country you reside in their may not even be requirements to label something as free range or organic. It's something to possibly look into especially to see what labels actually mean the animal was treated better (which I think is a bigger issue than pesticides, which is quite necessary in order to feed the number of humans there is on Earth)

As a side note, from what I've learned, organic food also does not mean it was not sprayed with pesticide. I believe it might change the amount of pesticide or possibly some of the chemicals involved, but it does not mean there isn't any pesticide.

I have a vegetable garden that is producing zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, peppers and jalapeno peppers, so I consider myself very lucky not to have to purchase those items; but when I need something other than those things, I'll go to the local farmers market. Not only do I feel I'm purchasing a better product, but I feel as if doing so might be good for the local economy.

No, I don't, with a few exceptions. Here's a great article that dispels some myths about organic produce.
http://rawfoodsos.com/2010/04/30/the-lowdown-on-organic-foo/

Organic produce has not been shown to be any healthier in term of nutrients, and it is NOT pesticide/herbicide free. In many cases they use "natural" pesticides and herbicides, but in much much high quantities because they're less effective. Besides, a simple washing can usually remove most if not all of the pesticides on produce, and if you're really concerned about it they sell special soaps to do the job.

Organic processed foods can't contain GMO, but I'm skeptical about if GMO is really bad for you or not. The only food I actively strive to buy organic on is foods with soy, because I don't want to give my money to Monsanto, who holds the patent for GMO soy. They're a terrible, evil, corrupt corporation.

Honestly, if you want better quality produce, buy local. It's fresher, you're supporting small, local farmers, and organic or not, it will likely be better quality than anything you buy in a super market that's been picked over a week or so ago.

there is no proof that organic food is more nutritious or safer, and most studies that have compared the taste and organoleptic quality of organic and conventional foods report no consistent or significant differences between organic and conventional produce.

Also, body of scientific literature have not found that organic food is any safer or healthier than conventional foods.

Claims of improved safety of organic food has largely focused on pesticide residues. While studies have shown organically grown fruits and vegetables have significantly lower pesticide residue levels, the significance of this finding on actual health risk reduction is debatable as both conventional foods and organic foods generally have pesticide levels well below government established guidelines for what is considered safe.

"organic" as of 2012 has no health benefits. actually that is a lie, it is good marketing.. they can charge you money

with that said, i dont waste money. i will however buy from local farmers, but i'll never spend more on "organic"

This is my job - I inspect organic and conventional farms for a living. There are certain things which people should definately buy as organic:
1: Eggs - conventional and free range egg farmers use chemicals in the feeds called Synthatic Amino Acids - some of these are banned in the human food chain as they are carcinogens (can cause cancer) - ironically they can be used in monogastric (single stomach) animal feeds. These chemicals are banned from organic animal feeds.
2: Milk - conventiol farmers have no restriction on the amount of processed compound feed given to dairy cows - in fact they do not even have to have access to pasture - this means on some dairy farms cattle never set foot in the fields. On orgnaic farms they have to have a minimum of 60% forage on a daily basis and they have to have access to pasture when weather permits. Due to the 60% forage rule most organic dairy farmers feed red clover silage which is high in protein but as a side health benefit this also generates more omega oils in the milk produced.
3: Fruit and veg if you can afford it - some conventional lettuce for example can be sprayed 10 x - sprays banned in organic production systems.
4: meat if you can afford it especially pork and chicken - if you have ever seen a broiler house containing 30 - 100,000 birds you would never buy conventional poultry again. Organic birds have to have access to pasture and the stocking densities are massively different. Also pigs in conventional intensive systems is awful - fed and live on slatted floors with a slurry pit underneath them. Organic pigs ahve to have to have access to pasture, wallows and shade - their is nothing finer than seeing an organic pig rooting around a field.
5: GM depending on your belief and morals. 90% of conventional animals feed will contain GM modified organisms. These are outrightly banned in organic production. Use will result in instant de-certification of all production enterprises in contact with the GM product including fields which the animals have been on.

Hope this helps to enlighten your decisions,
S.

I would like to point out in regards to number 2 that organic food does NOT mean free range food. Although it's more ideal to eat animal that were treated with more dignity, being fed organically doesn't mean free range as well. Free range doesn't mean organically either. As well depending on the country you reside in their may not even be requirements to label something as free range or organic. It's something to possibly look into especially to see what labels actually mean the animal was treated better (which I think is a bigger issue than pesticides, which is quite necessary in order to feed the number of humans there is on Earth)

As a side note, from what I've learned, organic food also does not mean it was not sprayed with pesticide. I believe it might change the amount of pesticide or possibly some of the chemicals involved, but it does not mean there isn't any pesticide.

You are correct in the technical term that Organic does not mean free range. But all lives stock in organic systems HAVE to have access to pasture (the general public know this as free range). The term free range is usually associated with a less intensive type of conventional farming with access to pasture usually certified to an assurance scheme standards, in the UK this the RSPCA's Freedom Foods.

Sadly in-correct about pesticides - all pesticides except natural remedies are banned in organic systems and as a side note all organic land must go through a two year conversion before any crops, produce or livestock can be sold as organic. This is so any residual pesticides have totally diminished before the produce is certified as organic.

Again hope this helps,
S.

My issue with the organic eggs I get from family members is the yolks are too strong. I have always been a yolk hater and I don't know if its the breed of hens or just the result of them foraging for insects but the yolks are much brighter and a bit bigger and sadly I can't eat them most of time. I feel like a jerk tossing so many yolks when I get them for free and with all the benifits of eating the whole egg.

My wife buys mostly organic. The benefits have been pointed out earlier in the thread. When I see the difference in price, and being the sole breadwinner in the family, it's tough to go along with it, but I understand that the food is not only free from synthetic fertilizers and such, and probably has more nutrition, but the big benefits I think are twofold:

1) If you can afford it (well, we can't, but we're doing it anyway), you are sending a message to the mega-farms that there is a market for organic foods and that perhaps they need to contract with smaller farms to help produce a quality product that they can distribute for those who want a choice. As more and more people demand organic foods, hopefully the prices go down and we have more choice. Witness companies like Clorox making their "Green Works" line of products. If big companies see there is a market for a product, they will act to fulfill that need.

2) I really think 20 or 30 years from now, studies will show that so many of the illnesses people suffer from will be shown to have at least been exacerbated by the additives & synthetics that have been put in our "normal" food. Now, of course is it better to eat conventionally-grown foods than processed foods? Sure, I think if that's what you can do, of course that's better. But I think if you can take the extra step to go organic, it's just a whole other category of *possible* negative things that you're eliminating from your body.

So if you can do it, I think it's a good thing. Like I said, my wife gets a bit over the top about it sometimes, but overall I think that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Another big thing she got me out of is nitrates (nitrites?) in my processed meats, like turkey and chicken from the deli. I know lots of people on MFP make chicken and turkey a staple of their diets. You kind of have to. But I used to buy the regular store brand of these products, and now I do the Whole Foods saltless turkey. It's really bland, tastes and looks just like real turkey breast you sliced off yourself, but add a little pepper to it and yes I use mayo, and it's delicious. I also know Subway has gone to no nitrates in their turkey and I think roast beef. Alternately, if you go into Blimpies, they pull out a chicken loaf that I'm sure is full of preservatives. It's delicious, but it's pretty much off my menu now except for a once in a while treat. I used to have a turkey/cheddar/bacon sandwich on pretzel bread at least a couple times a week.

Further, despite what most people believe, comprehensive government field testing to ensure the integrity of certified-organic crops and livestock does not occur. I have a problem with this.

Simple.:bigsmile:

Organic Integrity is given by Certification - if you go to a farmers market and something is advertised as Organic ask to see their Organic Certifcate or ask for their Certification details. It is illegal to sell anything as Organic which is not produced on Registered Organic Land. It is a legal claim and prosecutable under Trading Standards Legislation if someone sell a product without proper Certification.

^^^^^
This!
I work for an organic grain/seed producer and I can vouch that our opperations have to be inspected and certified on a yearly basis.

If we can afford it we buy it, sometimes the organic food is cheaper than the non organic!!! One thing I will always buy free range (not necessarily organic) are eggs and chicken, there really is a difference in taste, even the yolks are more yellow in colour.

there is no proof that organic food is more nutritious or safer, and most studies that have compared the taste and organoleptic quality of organic and conventional foods report no consistent or significant differences between organic and conventional produce.

Also, body of scientific literature have not found that organic food is any safer or healthier than conventional foods.

Claims of improved safety of organic food has largely focused on pesticide residues. While studies have shown organically grown fruits and vegetables have significantly lower pesticide residue levels, the significance of this finding on actual health risk reduction is debatable as both conventional foods and organic foods generally have pesticide levels well below government established guidelines for what is considered safe.

"organic" as of 2012 has no health benefits. actually that is a lie, it is good marketing.. they can charge you money

with that said, i dont waste money. i will however buy from local farmers, but i'll never spend more on "organic"

^^^^^^^^
THIS
And I don't give a rip about how animals are treated.
Maybe it's a compassion thing for some. Fine.
Count me OUT!
All I care about is the end result.
I see NO DIFFERENCE.