Why Organic?

[Cindy in PA]

I am not a fan of GMO , but if the products with GMOs were labeled, so I could make a choice, I would be happy. Soy is in almost everything we eat (disguised as "natural flavors"), so you can bet that it is GMO soy. Of course you can avoid much of it by growing your own and using very little processed food. I sure try, but I miss my cheese itz!! It is maddening that the government and big corporations tell us something is safe & therefore we are not privy to what is engineered or whatever. JMHO. I combat it as much as I can by buying my 1/2 side of grass fed beef, growing many of my own vegetables, having my on eggs, cooking 90% from scratch & eating grass-fed organic dairy.
I know that most farmers are honest hardworking people. I do not however appreciate my food or my animal feed being grown in human sewage. Got it right on the field next to me & can't do a thing about it. It is Class A biosolids so government says it safe. It smells like a rotting carcass & it will NOT be there next year. FIL was an idiot & left the idiot rental farmer put it on. Live & learn. This is just one thing going on the nation with farming.

 

[maclady]

Ok I have to say this has been a very interesting discussion. Why organic--because where there is smoke there is fire. I am tired of recalls on food that I purchase to feed my family. I am just starting out in this endeavor. I don't think most farmers are evil cause I come from a farming area. It was one of 3 things there, farm, auto plant or construction for jobs. I don't buy everything organic cause just can't afford to. I grew up canning and freezing everything we ate. We hunted and gathered what we could. I am trying to go back to that. I live in a subdivision right now and have converted a large part of my backyard into garden and fruit canes, trees and bushes. I also just got my own chickens this year. They will not lay eggs until end of July or August but I believe I am heading in the right direction for myself and my family. Thank you to everyone who posted their thoughts and opinions on this discussion. I have found lots of material to read and many things to consider.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Just a note on why people are living longer than before the present farming situation, antibiotics & vaccines!! Many died back then from diseases that are preventable or curable now. We are even messing with the antibiotics however, & getting more and more resistant bacteria, because of the overuse of the antibiotics in soaps etc. People don't seem to realize that the modern era, in which we have used 1/2 or more of the oil, polluted the air & water & started giving the money to the middleman processors instead of the farmer, started selling totally processed crap food, is only 150 years old. That is a short period of time in the whole scheme of things. As always. JMHO

 

[Chris09]

Quote:

I am tired of recalls on food that I purchase to feed my family

Organic foods have had there fare share of recalls two off the top of my head was some Organic baby foods and Organic greens and salads.

Chris​

 

[Katy]

Quote:

I am tired of recalls on food that I purchase to feed my family

Organic foods have had there fare share of recalls two off the top of my head was some Organic baby foods and Organic greens and salads.

Chris​

Very true Chris......All you have to do is do a search for "organic food recalls" and you'll get lots to choose from and read about.

 

[seedcorn]

Quote:
First paragraph, I disagree as modern ag is sustainable and has been for over 80 years.

Second paragraph has been my montra on all discussions concerning what people want. Pay for it, and they will produce it. It will cost much more.

 

[Wifezilla]

Just a note on why people are living longer than before the present farming situation, antibiotics & vaccines!!

Bingo! Regardless of how you feel about GMOs, I can say with certainty that the expanded life span is NOT due to GMO corn and soy!

I am not a fan of GMO , but if the products with GMOs were labeled, so I could make a choice, I would be happy.

Exactly. Let each consumer decide for themselves. Stop hiding the origins of food. The fact that the GMO industry DOES NOT want their food labeled and have actually brought lawsuits against those labeling their food as NON-GMO should make you very VERY suspicious.

All you have to do is do a search for "organic food recalls" and you'll get lots to choose from and read about.

The FDA has a new interactive database for food recalls.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm

Of the 68 items listed on there, 3 are organic. 2 were for bacteria issues, one was for not listing a potential allergen. Interestingly enough, 5 items on that list were for undeclared soy.​

 

[AquaEyes]

Quote:
First paragraph, I disagree as modern ag is sustainable and has been for over 80 years.

Second paragraph has been my montra on all discussions concerning what people want. Pay for it, and they will produce it. It will cost much more.

I don't believe it is sustainable. Whenever you have huge monocultures of plants OR animals, you require significant energy to substitute the inputs of one to the other. Vast fields of plants devoid of livestock will require lots of fertilizer. Vast herds of livestock devoid of plants will require bringing the plants to the livestock for food, and bringing the waste from the livestock....SOMEWHERE...and hope it doesn't cause significant pollution. Where is most of this energy coming from now? Cheap oil. When that runs out....then what? Something isn't sustainable if it depends on finite resources that can't be replenished, or if it leaves significant waste that isn't utilized. Then...perhaps organic farming will be a cheaper alternative. So I guess you could say that choosing organic NOW is like investing in the future....or maybe I just prefer the way they do it.

hehe

 

[Katy]

I just love it when someone with no agricultural experience whatsoever comes on spouting how to do it better.

 

[schellie69]

I am not convinced that just because something is labeled organic that its the best. I just watched some interesting information by Joel Salatin and he never claimed that his food was organic. Just doing things a different way I think there is a big movement in this country to know where our food is coming from. I am not against anyone I just want to know what is in the food I am eating. As a consumer I am going to do my own homework and make choices based on my own opinion. I have appreciated everyones point of view on this topic I have learned a lot. I hope everyone can keep the thread friendly and respect each others choices and beliefs.