Organic foods industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, as consumers purchase more organic products than ever. Farmers have responded by dedicating more land for organic specialty crops such as fruit, vegetables and grains.
However, with so many labels and options to sort through it can be challenging to navigate the organic jargon. Here are some helpful tips from registered dietitian Jo Williams:
Health Benefits
Eating organic food can reduce exposure to pesticides that have been linked to cancer, infertility and neurodevelopment issues. Furthermore, organic meat can lower your risk for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Studies have demonstrated that organic fruits, vegetables and grains contain higher concentrations of certain essential vitamins and nutrients compared with their conventional counterparts. Organic foods were shown to have more antioxidants, vitamin C and carotenoids; additionally organic milk and dairy showed significantly greater amounts of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids compared with non-organic versions.
Observational research has also suggested that people who consume more organic foods have lower body mass index (BMI). Unfortunately, these studies can often be affected by confounding factors like taste preference, diet habits and lifestyle influences; thus making definitive proof impossible. Still, these preliminary findings are encouraging and additional research needs to be conducted using rigorous methodologies that incorporate more diverse influencing variables for further exploration into this correlation between organic food consumption and health benefits.
Environmental Benefits
Organic food production methods support biodiversity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect water quality and improve soil health, as well as decrease food contamination risks and foster animal welfare.
Organic farmers are encouraged to ‘close the loop’ on their farms by using manures and compost instead of artificial fertilisers, to minimise run-off pollution into nearby creeks and rivers and lower water toxicity levels while increasing oxygen levels. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from non-organic farming may lead to eutrophication which destroys aquatic invertebrate habitat that are essential to marine life’s wellbeing and may result in the death of aquatic invertebrates that provide essential services.
Organic standards prohibit the use of chemical fertilisers, forcing growers to rely on natural, organic or recycled sources such as animal manure for fertilisation instead. As less fertiliser means reduced carbon emissions from its manufacture (requiring fossil fuels for production), organic farming becomes an invaluable contributor towards combatting global warming.
Economic Benefits
Organic products offer solutions to economic woes faced by farmers and farming communities. By eliminating synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides from production costs of organic crops, production costs have been drastically reduced – helping offset consumer willingness to pay lower prices for such produce.
Organic farmers also benefit from higher prices they can command on domestic and international markets for their produce, for instance organic ginseng farmers can sell it at a premium over non-organic ginseng crops.
Consumers can help sustain the organic economy by shopping at local farmers’ markets or signing up for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms for fresh seasonal produce direct from a farmer in their community. Supporting regional economies while saving on transportation costs.
Social Benefits
Organic products offer farmers and farm workers a safer alternative to synthetic pesticides that can be toxic for themselves and their families, and reduces levels of these chemicals found in food, soil and water sources. Organic farming also increases yields and sales which helps relieve poverty while encouraging independence among families who may otherwise rely on government subsidies for survival.
Organic farms put great effort into worker welfare issues. Their aim is to provide fair working conditions in a safe environment for their employees, offering training opportunities for those wanting to advance. Furthermore, these farms have clear protocols in place for dealing with emergencies or conflicts should any arise.
Organic farmers tend to be small-holders whose income may be limited. Green financing institutions can assist these growers with meeting cultivation expenses and thus gradually improving their financial standing, while formal markets provide greater returns for selling produce directly – further aiding organic growers’ livelihood.
