What's the Deal with Organic, Anyway?

I ate my first certified-organic vegetable while traveling solo in Bellingham, Washington, in 2009. It was a carrot lined up attractively in the farmer's market bin, and when I bit into it, I was shocked at how light, sweet, and crisp it was— how "carroty" it tasted. "Why haven't I been eating this my entire life?" I thought. "Organic food is the best!"

The next time I tried organic food, it was an apple from a grocery store. And it tasted like… an apple. No special flavor. In fact, the next time I bought an organic carrot, again from a grocery store, it had that slightly bitter edge that most carrots do. 

"Huh," I thought. "I guess organic food is a scam." And I didn't buy any again for a long, long time.

So when people bring up questions about organic food, I get it. I was right there with them. But over the past few years, I have learned a ton about the certification process, its pros and cons, the various reasons that people choose to buy organic, and so on. So I thought I'd put together some FAQ. If you have any other questions, be sure to let me know in the comments and I'll try to answer!

First of all, the big question…

1. Is it worth it to buy organic food?

I say yes… sort of. But, as with everything else in life, it's complicated. So I suggest you dive into the questions below!

2. What does "organic" even mean?

When it applies to food, the term "organic" generally means that the food was grown without synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers (this doesn't mean that there are no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers on it— there are dozens of naturally-derived version that can be sprayed on it). However, the word "organic" is also a legal term: it includes all of the above, plus no genetically-modified organisms (GMOs, discussed in more detail below), irradiation, or sewage byproduct fertilizer. (More info here.) Organically-raised livestock also must have conditions that accommodate their natural behavior (for instance, cows being able to graze and chickens having room to scratch), and have some bare-minimum animal cruelty standards (for instance, organic chickens may not be starved in order to make them molt, whereas industrially-raised chickens may). 

To gain this certification, farmers must cease using prohibited methods/substances for three years (a difficult transition period that many farmers can't afford), apply for certification, get an initial inspection, and pay a pretty hefty fee. Their certification is reviewed yearly with an on-site inspection, and they must pay a fee every year to keep the certification.

3. Why is organic food so much more expensive?

There are many, many reasons, but here are a few:

1. The certification process and annual fee are expensive to deal with.

2. Farming without broadscale herbicides and pesticides usually requires a lot more labor. 

3. Organic food is generally considered a specialty or boutique item (although this is quickly changing), which commands a higher price because of supply and demand.

4. Is organic food really that much better for the environment?

It is better than conventionally-grown food… mostly. 

On one hand, organic farming (in general) encourages taking care of the soil, minimizing inputs, diversifying crops, and other helpful measures. It also doesn't allow the most toxic pesticides and herbicides, including the long list of chemicals that are banned in the EU but allowed in the US.

On the other hand, the organic certification does allow for "natural" pesticides and herbicides, such as boric acid, copper sulfate, lime sulfer, and so on. While less toxic, they can still degrade the land and cause nutrient run-off. 

Another common issue with organic farms is that they till more often than conventional, in order to control weeds. A growing body of evidence is showing that tilling degrades the soil more than almost any other factor, and many regenerative farmers (notably successful farmer Gabe Brown, whose book Dirt to Soil is high on my reading list) have come to the conclusion that moderate applications of herbicide are better for the soil than repeated tilling.

Moreover, with the rise of the popularity of organic food, most organic food you find in the grocery store is grown in similar ways to conventional: huge monocrops of degraded soil, with huge inputs of fossil fuels to till, weed, and harvest. With that said, this is how most crops are grown in the modern world, so the environmental impact is comparable on that front.

All in all, when comparing an organic and a conventional brand at a typical grocery store, the organic option is most likely a bit superior from an environmental perspective… but see question #8.

5. Why would someone choose to buy organic?

There are two main reasons that it boils down to: environmental reasons and human rights reasons.

First, environmental. As discussed above, although organic farming practices aren't ideal, they are a step in the right direction and generally favor seeking the least-toxic solution first in any situation. 

Second, human rights. Conventional pesticides and herbicides are toxic chemicals, and in many circumstances the migrant farm workers are not trained how to properly apply them. One of the most egregious human rights violations came to light in Florida, where the workers were getting literally soaked in pesticides and herbicides, causing two women within a year to give birth to children who had no legs or arms. (Read more about this in the thoroughly-researched book Tomatoland by Barry Estabrook, as well as how the farm workers banded together to improve their working conditions.)

Organic farms are monitored more closely than their conventional counterparts because of the certification, and although there are not specific rules for how the workers are to be treated, at the very least the workers are exposed to lower amounts of toxicity, and the farms in general are subject to more stringent standards.

6. Is organic food healthier?

The industrial organic food you see at the grocery store? Well, it's likely to have less pesticide residue, which is important for people who are sensitive to chemicals such as glyphosate. If you're talking about nutrients, though, the nutrient profile is likely about the same as a comparable conventional product. Food grown in healthy soil is healthier for you, but most organic soil is just as degraded as other farmland, so there's not going to be a huge difference. (However, there are other options: see question #8.)

7. Can organic farming really feed the world?

This is a common argument against organic farming, and for good reason: massive, industrial, monocropped organic farms take up more space and sometimes require more resources than their conventional counterparts. However, there are a few factors at play here:

A. 33% of arable land worldwide is used to grow food that we don't eat— we feed it to animals. And we're feeding a lot of it to animals who aren't supposed to eat corn and soy: cows are healthier and actually good for the environment when managed properly, and can live in margins of the land where agriculture is difficult. So if we raised animals on pasture and devoted our fields to growing food for humans to directly eat, that would free up a ton of land.

B. Techniques such as conservation agriculture, which focuses on smaller plots of worked land, specific techniques of soil preservation, and a lot of crop rotation, are much more efficient— and drought-resistant!— than the current conventional model. (For more on this, check out Growing a Revolution by David R. Montgomery.)

C. Smaller farms require greater labor input, but can grow significantly more food per acre than a large farm (for instance, see this family in California who grow 6,000 pounds of food per year on their 1/10 acre homestead). If agriculture is scaled down to focus on the care of the land rather than the "efficiency" of working large tracts without any biodiversity or long-term soil health, we will be able to grow more food than ever before.

8. So… should I buy organic? And if not, what should I buy?

Everyone has different budgets, resources, and priorities, and there is no such thing as buying "perfect" food. However, here is what I've come to…

A. Certified organic food is usually more environmentally friendly and safe for the people who harvest it than its conventional counterparts, so I buy organic when possible.

B. For animal products, I consider the organic certification a bare minimum, but there are many other factors at play, so I'd suggest checking out this post for more info. 

C. Local food is even better because I can check the farm's website or talk to the farmers to learn how they care for the soil and deal with pests and weeds. Personally I don't worry about the organic certification, and I don't rule out someone who uses pesticides and herbicides, as long as they are used as a last resort. I would much rather support the farmers growing actual food (as opposed to animal feed) than source certified-organic products from a nameless farm I can't visit for myself. (Search for local farms, farmstands, grocery stores, CSAs, and more near you at LocalHarvest.org!)

D. Growing and foraging food is another great way to know what I'm eating! I always encourage people to garden and forage as they can.

9. I want to buy organic food, but it's too expensive/overwhelming to switch at once. What's the bare minimum you recommend?

EWG posts a list of "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" foods for each year, using data analysis about chemical use and residue on various crops, so that's a good place to start. (The 2020 Dirty Dozen are strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, and potatoes.) 

I also highly recommend switching to organic at bare minimum for all animal products (meat, milk, eggs, ice cream, etc.)— see point 8B above.

I'm hoping to write an entire blog post about how to afford organic food, but in the meantime, switching these foods is a great start.

Do you have any other questions about organic food? Let me know in the comments!

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