Myth #1: Organic means pesticide-free
Most organic farms DO use pesticides, they just use naturally occurring, unprocessed chemicals such as copper and sulfur. Because these pesticides are less effective than synthetic pesticides, organic farmers apply them in much heavier doses- more than twice as much as conventional farmers. These pesticides, though naturally occurring, are still pesticides (and fungicides) and still have an effect on both the environment and our bodies.
Additionally, a lot of effort has been put into "soft" synthetic chemicals- meaning that these chemicals are designed to break down in sunlight and water and have very little to no lasting impact on the food or the soil. Organic chemicals are not designed to break down, and over time can have a significant impact on soil and rivers.
https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~lhom/organictext.html
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/2011/07/18/mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/
Myth #2: Organic means cruelty free
Organic does NOT mean cruelty free. On egg farms, baby boy chicks are still euthanized (usually by tossing them in a grinder) on both conventional AND organic farms. To my knowledge, there isn't a hatchery in existence that doesn't use this "culling" practice. The eggs we buy are cage free and organic, and the egg farm purchases their chickens rather than hatching them themselves, but their suppliers use the same methods as everyone else.
Additionally, because organic status means no antibiotics, treatment of sick animals is weighed against their viability as an organic producer. One treatment of antibiotics while they are sick negates their potential as an organic animal forever, and sometimes animals that could have been cured quickly are instead allowed to suffer and die.
http://inthesetimes.com/article/6330/the_cruel_irony_of_organic_standards
Myth #3: All conventional plants are GMO
All conventional plants aren't gmo. In fact, heirloom variety plants are prized because the seeds were kept from ideal plants and passed down for generations and hybrid plants are a result of cross-pollination, something that can occur in nature but is also very easy to do in a greenhouse.While big factory plants used in commercial food and livestock feed (like corn and soy) are almost ALL GMO, most garden variety vegetables are NOT genetically modified.
http://bonnieplants.com/library/what-is-an-heirloom-what-is-a-hybrid/
Myth #4: GMO is always bad
Sometimes, genetic modification is for the best- cotton has been genetically engineered to taste bad to its most frequent pests. As a result, fewer pesticides are needed are needed on this American favorite that millions wear against their skin.
How do we shop?
We buy a lot of organic, in large part because the organic aisle is a frontrunner in the soy-free movement (almost all soy is GMO and organic doesn't include GMO) and as I've mentioned before, I've been adapting to a soy allergy for over 7 years.
We care that our food wasn't tortured before it came to our plate, so we buy cage-free/free-range/grass-fed/cruelty-free whenever we can. Did you know that organic milk/cream has a longer shelf life than conventional dairy? It's a pretty awesome bonus. Additionally, the science behind feeding animals what they were meant to eat (ie: grass) vs. the grain heavy diet of corn and soy and antibiotic that we've taken in modern times is pretty convincing for the organic movement. From the rate of growth (animals reach maturity much much faster now) to the levels of bacteria (if you switch a cow back to a grass diet for 8 days, e-coli almost completely diminishes from its digestive system), commercial farms may fill a much needed gap in providing food for the masses, but the quality (and digestibility!) is definitely diminished.
We also believe in local and sustainable, and the CSA we participate in is largely non-GMO and chemical free, but makes conscientious decisions about when to use organic practices and when to use conventional ones, and we are very comfortable with that. A great example is that our farm uses a fertilizer once a year as opposed to manure. Manure is a natural and effective fertilizer, but is also how we keep ending up with e-coli outbreaks in ground crops (like spinach and Brussels sprouts).
Mostly, we read labels on anything that does come pre-packaged and so we eliminate unnecessary sugars, preservatives, and additives from our foods.
Some foods are naturally more pest resistant than others- those with a thick skin or those that grow in colder weather for the most part- The EWG tests produce each year and rates the levels of pesticide residue, giving us a list of the "dirty dozen" (where it may be better to buy organic) and the "clean fifteen" (which are usually chemical free or low chemical regardless of organic or conventional status). We have grown everything on the dirty dozen list in our backyard, and some of the clean fifteen too! A big reason apples are on the dirty dozen list is the commercial coating added for store sale. Local farmers markets often don't have this coating, selling apples just as they are.
There's a growing movement for the "Certified Naturally Grown" label. In general, this label is easier to obtain than an organic label with similar if not better standards. It's an attainable label for small farms who can't afford to become certified organic, or one that can be used on farms like our CSA where most of their crops are chemical free, but the entire farm isn't.
http://althealthworks.com/1163/what-does-the-term-certified-naturally-grown-mean-and-is-it-organic/
