By Carmen Thivierge

"Respect for soil, plants, animals, air and water contribute to respect for people and the planet." -The Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada

The demand for organic foods is on the rise. A market survey prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada in Montreal in 2001 found that in Canada the retail market for organic foods was estimated to be worth 300 to 750 million dollars. Even though this represents only one percent of total retail sales, organic product sales are increasing at a rate of over fifteen percent annually. In the USA, where the FDA has approved the allowance of health claims on certain organic products such as soy protein, sales in the organic food industry are in excess of ten billion dollars annually. The survey further determined that the baby boomers and the younger generation of health-conscious consumers are primarily driving the market. Where we once saw organic foods confined to farmer's markets and specialty stores, we now see larger grocery chains like Loblaws/Fortino's putting a lot of effort into developing organic food sections. People are awakening to the fact that food can be grown without the use of harmful chemicals.

But the growth of this industry has met with resistance. Proponents of conventional farming have argued that there has been no scientific evidence to date that can confirm that organic foods are healthier and more nutritious than their non-organic counterparts. Further concern has been raised that the reliance of organic farming on manure as fertilizer increases the risk of bacterial contamination like e coli and other infections, though no actual evidence has supported this claim. In fact, strict regulations governing organic farming state that raw manure must be composted or applied to the soil well in advance of harvest to allow for any harmful microbes to be rendered harmless. The same rules do not apply to conventional farming.

Concern has also been raised that the smaller number of organic farmers and the labour-intensive work involved in organic farming make it more costly and less available to the average consumer as this type of farming is believed to yield smaller crops and carry a greater risk of crop loss. While this may be true, the higher crop yields of conventional farming are often at the expense of our health and the safety of our environment.

What it comes down to in the end is consumer choice. The Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada survey determined that the factors affecting consumers' food choices involved taste of food, nutritional value, health benefits, ease of preparation and cost. Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of The No-Grain Diet, compared the farming methods of organic and non-organic foods. With non-organic farming, the use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides and synthetic herbicides are heavily relied upon to control weed growth and infestations. This means that foods can be tainted with chemical residues which can be harmful to humans. Pesticides have been linked to neurotoxicity, dysfunctions of the endocrine system, immune system suppression and cancer. The depleted soils used tend to rob the crops of nutrients. Organically-grown foods, on the other hand, use "natural" pesticides like insect predators or other products like that derived from the neem tree. Organic farmers use crop rotation, hand weeding, tillage and mulches or cover their crops to control weeds and other problems. Generally the soil is richer and produces crops that have higher levels of nutrients like vitamin C, iron, magnesium and zinc. There are fewer nitrates in the soil and overall better conditions to yield a healthier crop. Therefore, with cost being only one of many factors affecting consumer food choices, the health advantages of organic foods seem to overshadow any of the disadvantages.

Yet, the conflict that exists between organic and non-organic (or conventional) farmers seems to have grown out of marketing needs, as each attempts to preserve their industry and protect their interests. Testing systems used to compare organic and non-organic foods are often inadequate due to the many variables that exist in making a fair comparison. Things such as crop variety, post-harvest handling, soil type and climate all contribute to a successful and healthy harvest. One variable that cannot be mistaken, however, is the use of pesticides and herbicides, and this underlines the major difference in the two farming techniques. Companies promoting these harmful chemicals have initiated much of the testing of chemical products. Dr. David Suzuki, environmentalist, scientist and author of Naked Ape to Superspecies, points out the conflict of interests that exists in many studies conducted in the organic-versus-conventional debate when testing the safety of chemicals. "We are expecting the people who are going to gain profit from these organisms to be honest about the dangers and the difficulties of those products. If they do want to make a huge, enormous profit, it's an immense conflict of interests to expect that they are going to be honest about it." Some conventional farmers will also employ genetically-engineered seeds to produce crops that are resistant to repeated chemical spraying. So not only are we subjected to potentially harmful chemicals, but we are now being introduced to genetically modified foods of which the long-term health risks are unknown.

When considering the organic versus the conventional debate, the environmental argument bears consideration. As humans, we were created to "live off the land". Our ancestors spent their lives in small tribes hunting and gathering food. Our bodies were not designed to adapt to fatty diets, drugs, pollution and chemical contamination. As our society has evolved, we have become separate from the earth and have waged war against the very earth that sustains us. "Our disconnection from the Earth is epitomized by our relationship to food," says Dr. Suzuki. "Most urban people associate food with supermarkets but fail to connect it with the land."

Lady Eve Balfour was a key figure in forming the organic gardening and farming movement in the mid 1900's. She was one of the founders of Britain's Soil Association, and as such she divided her estate into two sections, one organic, and the other run conventionally, with chemical fertilizers. She discovered that there was an interrelationship between healthy soil, plants, animals and man. In her book The Living Soil (1948),Lady Balfour wrote that "the criteria for a sustainable agriculture can be summed up in one word-- permanence, which means adopting techniques that maintain soil fertility indefinitely, that utilize, as far as possible, only renewable resources; that do not grossly pollute the environment; and that foster biological activity within the soil and throughout the cycles of all the involved food chains." The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) is a small group of approximately two thousand members consisting of organic farmers, consumers, researchers and educators from around the globe who support the premise proposed by Lady Balfour. Their mandate is to create public awareness about the advantages of organic farming and to promote its worldwide application.

In his welcome address to the IFOAM at its 11th annual conference in Switzerland in 1996, Henrik Kloppenborg, chairman of the Danish Association of Organic Agriculture, stated that "Organic farming can't eliminate world hunger overnight. But by emphasizing development of human resources, sustainable agricultural practices and use of local resources, organic farming provides a better basis for development." With organic farming, there is less reliance on non-renewable resources. This type of farming establishes an ecological balance which helps to prevent soil erosion and pest problems. It has the added benefit of enhancing biodiversity. This is a term applied to the presence of multiple plants and animal species. This high diversity promotes better opportunities for a diverse gene pool from which beneficial characteristics can emerge.

Overall, the benefits of organic foods and organic farming include the following:

The next consideration with organic foods is to be able to determine what is and isn't organic. The terms "natural", "organic" and "certified organic" have created some confusion for the average consumer. The term "natural" is an arbitrary term since there has been no formal definition ascribed to it. But the term "natural food" does have some influence with the consumer who believes they are buying a healthy product. Unfortunately the term is loosely regulated and therefore almost any product can call itself "natural", rendering the term meaningless when assessing its value from a health standpoint.

A safer option when looking at the health benefits of a certain food is the term "organic". Organic farming makes every effort to use resources and methods that promote the ecological balance and harmony of natural systems. Yet there still may be some use of certain fertilizers or pesticides that have been deemed "safe" and may not be completely free from residue. The intention of organic farming is to optimize the health and productivity of the soil, plants, animals and people in their interdependent relationship. Some organic farms, however, are also subjected to the runoff from surrounding farms that may be using harmful chemicals.

To achieve the "certified organic" designation, organic crops must meet strict uniform standards. Organic crops must be in the third year of production without the application of any synthetic pesticides or chemicals. The fields and facilities of these growers are inspected by independent and qualified agencies able to issue certification. Detailed records are kept and soil and water are periodically tested. In order for meats to be considered certified organic the livestock must have been raised on organic foodstuffs and not given any drugs or antibiotics for at least one year.

Despite the controversy over organic farming it is a sure thing that this type of farming is not a fad. As people become more educated about the hazards associated with conventional farming and genetically modified foods, the demand for organically produced foods can only increase. The emergence of organic farming takes us closer to achieving a cleaner and healthier environment and reduces the cost of clean up of our contaminated waters and soils. In David Suzuki's Science Matters (June 7, 2002), he advises that organic farming "is about smart farming to help maintain healthy ecosystems." It eliminates the pollution caused to lakes and rivers and it offers hope for living a healthier lifestyle. Organic farming makes sense on many levels and the disadvantages are few. As Dr. Suzuki points out, "we mustn't let the entrenched interests of the commercial agriculture and biotechnology industries dictate the future of our food when less intensive and damaging alternatives are available."

Inevitably the decision to choose organic or non-organic rests with the consumer. What motivates consumer choice is still a big question. Health benefits are a paramount consideration. But in today's fast-paced, high-tech world and with our busy lifestyles, we tend to be drawn to highly processed, packaged and convenient foods. And while the arguments for going organic seem sound and logical, our tendency to choose quick and convenient meals often wins out in the end. Is there a difference between organic and non-organic food? The answer seems to be a resounding yes. But the question is: Does it matter enough for us to alter our current lifestyles, behaviours and choices? Only you know the answer.

"Food, one assumes, provides nourishment; but Americans eat it fully aware that small amounts of poison have been added to improve its appearance and delay its putrefaction." - John Cage

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