A Word from 4th Gen … Organic Food Myths

When the 4^th Generation Organic Market was in the beginning stages, we thought to ourselves what would be the best product for our customer and what would make us different. Anyone can walk into a grocery store and buy apples. But why buy organic apples? Part of our commitment to this community is education. In the next few e-newsletters, we will share with you why it is so true, that “you are what you eat” and why going organic is so important to a healthy lifestyle.

Why Organic?

By definition Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.

Obtaining Organic certification does not come easy for growers, in order to be certified, they must adhere to strict uniform standards, which are verified by either a private or public certifying agency. These standards include:

The land on which the organic food is grown must be free of prohibited substances for three years prior to certification.
Farmers and processors must keep detailed records of their farming methods and the materials used in production.
All of these methods and materials are inspected annually by a third party certifying agent.
All farmers and handlers are required to maintain written plans detailing their organic management practices.

Going Organic has many benefits, below are just some of the benefits of living an organic lifestyle.

1. Protects Our Health
2. Supports the Environment
3. Organic agriculture does not use chemicals
4. Creates a Diverse Ecosystem
5. Organic Farms Build Soil
6. Saves Our Energy Resources
7. No Genetic Modification
8. Organic Product Meets Stringent Standards

However, there is still a stigma on eating organic, why do most consumers choose not to be organic? According to www.organic.org, here are some the biggest myths that consumers face:

Myth: Organic food is too expensive.
Fact: In general, organic food costs more than conventional food because of the laborious and time-intensive systems used by the typically smaller organic farms. You may find that the benefits of organic agriculture off-set this additional cost. At the same time, there are ways to purchase organic while sticking to your budget. Consider the following when questioning the price of organic:

Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do. Therefore, the price of organic food reflects the true cost of growing.
The price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanups that we pay for through our tax dollars.
Organic farming is more labor and management intensive.

Myth: Eating organic food is the same as eating natural food.
Fact: Natural foods do not contain additives or preservatives, but they may contain ingredients that have been grown with pesticides or are genetically modified. In other words, the ingredients in the ingredient panel will look familiar, but they have not been produced organically. Natural foods are not regulated and do not meet the same criteria that organic foods do.

Myth: Organic food tastes like cardboard.
Fact: This may have been true of processed foods at one time—take crackers or pretzels for example—but this stereotype is as outdated as the hippie connotations that follow it. Today many organic snack foods taste the same as their conventional counterparts, while most people agree that fresh, locally grown organic produce does not compare to the alternative. Even organic produce that is not in season and has been shipped thousands of miles to reach our grocer’s shelves cannot compare to the produce found in our own back yard or at farmers markets.

Going organic does not mean giving up your favorite items, eating organic means taking another step in the right direction with your health. Be Healthy … Go Organic!

- Sources: 4^th Generation Organic Market Literature & Organic.org