Organic vs non-organic : the facts 1

Organic food and farming is under the spotlight. More people are
buying organic products and more questions are being asked about
organic food and farming.

This booklet examines some of the key issues around organic food and
its production. It takes up the challenge of answering the critics –
critics who range from public relations companies defending
agribusiness, through to the heads of national food authorities and
some academics. It exposes the misleading and erroneous statements
made against organic food, and provides the facts that prove
them wrong.

In particular this booklet examines six myths:

myth Organic foods are no healthier than non-organic foods.
reality Wrong: food produced organically contains fewer contaminants.
Some scientific studies have shown that there are more nutrients in
organically produced food.

myth Organic farming increases the risk of food poisoning.
reality False: organic farming can actually reduce the risk.
myth Organic farming uses pesticides that damage the environment.
reality Untrue: Organic farming systems rely upon prevention rather
than cure, minimising the need for pesticides.

myth Consumers are paying too much for organic food.
reality Not so: crop rotations, organic animal feed and welfare
standards, the use of good
husbandry instead of agri-chemicals, and the preservation of natural
habitats all result in organic food costing more to produce.
Non-organic food appears to be cheaper but in fact
consumers pay for it three times over – first over the counter, second
via taxation (to fund agricultural subsidies) and third to remedy the
environmental pollution (or disasters like BSE) caused by intensive
farming practices.

myth Organic food cannot feed a hungry world.
reality False: intensive farming destroys the fertility of the land
and is unsustainable. Organic methods help labour-rich but cash-poor
communities to produce food sustainably.

myth Organic farming is unkind to animals.
reality Far from it: animal welfare and the freedom to behave
naturally is central to organic livestock standards.

The myths which damage the organic movement are not conjured out of
thin air and they do not arrive in the newspapers by chance. The myths
are generated by organisations with particular interests to defend,
and they are presented as press releases and prepared articles for
publication in the media. This booklet concludes by looking a little
more closely at the origins of the myths, and
the people who peddle them.

myth: this rant has any place on uk.rec.birdwatching
"J Smytje" <JSmythe.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:fmamc0p358vr5738ufqius1ofjaerdc8fl@4ax.com...
> Organic food and farming is under the spotlight. More people are
> buying organic products and more questions are being asked about
> organic food and farming.
>
> This booklet examines some of the key issues around organic food and
> its production. It takes up the challenge of answering the critics -
> critics who range from public relations companies defending
> agribusiness, through to the heads of national food authorities and
> some academics. It exposes the misleading and erroneous statements
> made against organic food, and provides the facts that prove
> them wrong.
>
> In particular this booklet examines six myths:
>
> myth Organic foods are no healthier than non-organic foods.
> reality Wrong: food produced organically contains fewer contaminants.
> Some scientific studies have shown that there are more nutrients in
> organically produced food.
>
> myth Organic farming increases the risk of food poisoning.
> reality False: organic farming can actually reduce the risk.
> myth Organic farming uses pesticides that damage the environment.
> reality Untrue: Organic farming systems rely upon prevention rather
> than cure, minimising the need for pesticides.
>
> myth Consumers are paying too much for organic food.
> reality Not so: crop rotations, organic animal feed and welfare
> standards, the use of good
> husbandry instead of agri-chemicals, and the preservation of natural
> habitats all result in organic food costing more to produce.
> Non-organic food appears to be cheaper but in fact
> consumers pay for it three times over - first over the counter, second
> via taxation (to fund agricultural subsidies) and third to remedy the
> environmental pollution (or disasters like BSE) caused by intensive
> farming practices.
>
> myth Organic food cannot feed a hungry world.
> reality False: intensive farming destroys the fertility of the land
> and is unsustainable. Organic methods help labour-rich but cash-poor
> communities to produce food sustainably.
>
> myth Organic farming is unkind to animals.
> reality Far from it: animal welfare and the freedom to behave
> naturally is central to organic livestock standards.
>
> The myths which damage the organic movement are not conjured out of
> thin air and they do not arrive in the newspapers by chance. The myths
> are generated by organisations with particular interests to defend,
> and they are presented as press releases and prepared articles for
> publication in the media. This booklet concludes by looking a little
> more closely at the origins of the myths, and
> the people who peddle them.