Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 22:55, 25 June 2012

Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Organic foods are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.

The weight of the available scientific evidence has not shown a consistent and significant difference between organic and more conventionally grown food in terms of safety, nutritional value, or taste.

The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Switzerland in 2009 concluded that “there is broad agreement on two points: there is no proof that organic food is more nutritious or safer, and most studies that have compared the taste and organoleptic quality of organic and conventional foods report no consistent or significant differences between organic and conventional produce.”

For the vast majority of human history, agriculture can be described as organic; only during the 20th century was a large supply of new synthetic chemicals introduced to the food supply. The organic farming movement arose in the 1940s in response to the industrialization of agriculture known as the Green Revolution.

Organic food production is a heavily regulated industry, distinct from private gardening. Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as organic within their borders. In the context of these regulations, organic food is food produced in a way that complies with organic standards set by national governments and international organizations. In the United States, organic production is a system that is managed in accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990 and regulations in Title 7, Part 205 of the Code of Federal Regulations to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. If livestock are involved, the livestock must be reared with regular access to pasture and without the routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones. In the United States, a food can be labelled as "organic" if it contains a minimum of 95% organic ingredients. In most countries, organic produce may not be also do not contain genetically modified organisms. It has been suggested that the application of nanotechnology to food and agriculture is a further technology that needs to be excluded from certified organic food. The Soil Association (UK) has been the first organic certifier to implement a nano-exclusion.

Meaning and origin of the term

In 1939, Lord Northbourne coined the term organic farming in his book Look to the Land (1940), out of his conception of "the farm as organism," to describe a holistic, ecologically balanced approach to farming—in contrast to what he called chemical farming, which relied on "imported fertility" and "cannot be self-sufficient nor an organic whole." This is different from the scientific use of the term "organic," to refer to an a class of molecules that contain carbon, especially those involved in the chemistry of life. This class of molecules includes everything likely to be considered edible, and include most pesticides and toxins too, therefore the term "organic" and, especially, the term "inorganic" (sometimes wrongly used as a contrast by the popular press) are both technically inaccurate and completely inappropriate when applied to farming, the production of food, and to foodstuffs themselves.

Identifying organic food

Processed organic food usually contains only organic ingredients. If non-organic ingredients are present, at least a certain percentage of the food's total plant and animal ingredients must be organic (95% in the United States, Canada, and Australia) and any non-organically produced ingredients are subject to various agricultural requirements. Foods claiming to be organic must be free of artificial food additives, and are often processed with fewer artificial methods, materials and conditions, such as chemical ripening, food irradiation, and genetically modified ingredients. Pesticides are allowed so long as they are not synthetic.

Early consumers interested in organic food would look for non-chemically treated, non-use of unapproved pesticides, fresh or minimally processed food. They mostly had to buy directly from growers: "Know your farmer, know your food" was the motto. Personal definitions of what constituted "organic" were developed through firsthand experience: by talking to farmers, seeing farm conditions, and farming activities. Small farms grew vegetables (and raised livestock) using organic farming practices, with or without certification, and the individual consumer monitored. As demand for organic foods continued to increase, high volume sales through mass outlets such as supermarkets rapidly replaced the direct farmer connection. Today there is no limit to organic farm sizes and many large corporate farms currently have an organic division. However, for supermarket consumers, food production is not easily observable, and product labeling, like "certified organic", is relied on. Government regulations and third-party inspectors are looked to for assurance.

The USDA carries out routine inspections of farms that produce USDA Organic labeled foods. On April 20, 2010, the Department of Agriculture said that it would begin enforcing rules requiring the spot testing of organically grown foods for traces of pesticides, after an auditor exposed major gaps in federal oversight of the organic food industry.

Legal definition

To be certified organic, products must be grown and manufactured in a manner that adheres to standards set by the country they are sold in:

• Australia: Australian Organic Standard and NASAA Organic Standard
• Canada: Canada Gazette, Government of Canada
• European Union: EU-Eco-regulation
  • Sweden: KRAV
  • United Kingdom: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Norway: Debio Organic certification
• India: NPOP, (National Program for Organic Production)
• Japan: JAS Standards
• United States: National Organic Program (NOP) Standards

Environmental impact

Several surveys and studies have attempted to examine and compare conventional and organic systems of farming. The general consensus across these surveys is that organic farming is less damaging for the following reasons:

• Organic farms do not consume or release synthetic pesticides into the environment—some of which have the potential to harm soil, water and local terrestrial and aquatic wildlife although it must be noted that organic pesticides still have the potential to be as damaging to the environment as synthetic pesticides
• Organic farms are better than conventional farms at sustaining diverse ecosystems, i.e., populations of plants and insects, as well as animals.
• When calculated per unit area, organic farms use less energy and produce less waste, e.g., waste such as packaging materials for chemicals.

A 2003 investigation by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs in the UK found, similar to other reports, that organic farming "can produce positive environmental benefits", but that some of the benefits were decreased or lost when comparisons are made on "the basis of unit production rather than area".

The situation was shown dramatically in a comparison of a modern dairy farm in Wisconsin with one in New Zealand in which the animals grazed extensively. Using total farm emissions per kg milk produced as a parameter, the researchers showed that production of methane from belching was higher in the New Zealand farm, while carbon dioxide production was higher in the Wisconsin farm. Output of nitrous oxide, a gas with an estimated global warming potential 310 times that of carbon dioxide was also higher in the New Zealand farm. Methane from manure handling was similar in the two types of farm. The explanation for the finding relates to the different diets used on these farms, being based more completely on forage (and hence more fibrous) in New Zealand and containing less concentrate than in Wisconsin. Fibrous diets promote a higher proportion of acetate in the gut of ruminant animals, resulting in a higher production of methane that has to be released by belching. When cattle are given a diet containing some concentrates (such as corn and soybean meal) in addition to grass and silage, the pattern of ruminal fermentation alters from acetate to mainly propionate. As a result methane production is reduced. Capper et al. compared the environmental impact of US dairy production in 1944 and 2007. They calculated that the carbon “footprint” per billion kg of milk produced in 2007 was 37 percent that of equivalent milk production in 1944.

The environmental impact of pesticides as well as the impact to the health of farm workers are reasons given for purchasing organic food.

However, critics of organic farming methods believe that the increased land needed to farm organic food could potentially destroy the rainforests and wipe out many ecosystems.

Yield

One study found a 20% smaller yield from organic farms using 50% less fertilizer and 97% less pesticide. Studies comparing yields have had mixed results. Supporters claim that organically managed soil has a higher quality and higher water retention. This may help increase yields for organic farms in drought years.

One study from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency found that, area-for-area, organic farms of potatoes, sugar beet and seed grass produce as little as half the output of conventional farming. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, responds to this by pointing out that the average yield of world agriculture is substantially lower than modern sustainable farming yields. Bringing average world yields up to modern organic levels could increase the world's food supply by 50%.

A 2007 study compiling research from 293 different comparisons into a single study to assess the overall efficiency of the two agricultural systems has concluded that

...organic methods could produce enough food on a global per capita basis to sustain the current human population, and potentially an even larger population, without increasing the agricultural land base. (from the abstract)

The researchers also found that while in developed countries, organic systems on average produce 92% of the yield produced by conventional agriculture, organic systems produce 80% more than conventional farms in developing countries, because the materials needed for organic farming are more accessible than synthetic farming materials to farmers in some poor countries. On the other hand, communities that lack sufficient manure to replenish soils would struggle with organic farming, and the soil would degrade rapidly.

Energy efficiency

A study of the sustainability of apple production systems showed that in comparing a conventional farming system to an organic method of farming, the organic system in this case is more energy efficient. A more comprehensive study compared efficiency of agriculture for products such as grain, roughage crops, and animal husbandry. While the study did not investigate specific additional requirements of arable land or numbers of farm laborers to produce total yields for organic farming vs. conventional farming, leaving open the question of overall capacity of organic farming to meet current and future agricultural needs, it concluded that organic farming had a higher yield per unit of energy over multiple crops and for livestock. However, conventional farming had higher total yield. Conversely, another study noted that organic wheat and corn production was more energy efficient than conventional methods while organic apple and potato production was less energy efficient than conventional methods. A long-term study, spanning two decades, noted that crop yields were 20% lower in organic systems while fertilizer plus energy input was 34% to 53% lower. However, pesticide input was reduced by 97% in organic farm systems.

Consumer safety

Reviews of the available body of scientific literature have not shown conclusively that organic food is considerably safer than conventional foods. However, research at the University of California, the University of Colorado, and The Institute of Food Technologies suggests that organic food tends to be higher in vitamins, minerals, and secondary plant metabolites such as beneficial polyphenolic compounds

There continues to be widespread public belief that organic food is significantly safer for consumption than food grown conventionally; this belief has fueled increased demand for organic food despite its slightly higher price. Firm conclusions about the relative safety of organic foods has been hampered by the difficulty in proper study design and relatively small number of studies directly comparing organic food to conventional food. However, the public belief appears to have some intuitive and rational justification, because conventional foods tend to contain considerably greater amounts of both harmful nitrates and synthetic pesticides.

Thus, claims of improved safety of organic food are largely focused on pesticide residues. Studies have shown organically grown fruits and vegetables have significantly lower pesticide residue levels, though actual health risk reduction is debatable as both conventional foods and organic foods generally have pesticide levels well below government established guidelines for what is considered safe. This view has been echoed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the UK Food Standards Agency. However, on the other hand, certified organic foods cannot legally contain any synthetic pesticide residue, while conventional foods can legally contain significant amounts of synthetic pesticides. Further, synthetic pesticides have been shown to be neurotoxic and deadly to non-target organisms, including humans, birds, fish, and bees.

Some focus has been placed on the amount of nitrogen content in certain vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables and tubers when grown organically as compared to conventionally: Vegetables, when grown organically, have been found to have lower nitrogen content, and nitrate (nitrogen content) is generally recognized by the scientific community as harmful. Furthermore, when evaluating environmental toxins such as heavy metals, the USDA noted that organically raised chicken tend to have lower arsenic levels, relative to conventional chicken.

In looking at possible increased risk to safety from organic food consumption, reviews have found that although there may be increased risk from microbiological contamination due to increased manure use as fertilizer from organisms like E. coli O157:H7 during organic produce production, there is little evidence of actual incidence of outbreaks which can be conclusively attributed to the methods of organic food agriculturalists. However, one outbreak of E. coli in Germany was blamed on organic farming of bean sprouts. Other possible sources of increased safety risk from organic food consumption like use of biological pesticides or the theoretical risk from mycotoxins from fungi grown on products due to the lack of effective organic compliant fungicides have likewise not been confirmed by rigorous studies in the scientific literature.

Nutritional value and taste

According to the UK's Food Standards Agency, "Consumers may choose to buy organic fruit, vegetables and meat because they believe them to be more nutritious than other food. A good deal of current and unfolding scientific evidence supports this view.

Other studies have found no proof that organic food offers any distinguishable difference in taste.

Some, such as Rosen, in "A Review of the Nutrition Claims Made by Proponents of Organic Food", argue that organic food proponents use unreliable information sources which cause consumers to waste their money if they buy organic food believing that it contains better nutrients. Minor differences in ascorbic acid, protein concentration and several micronutrients have been identified between organic and conventional foods, and this appears to undermine Rosen's position. Moreover, as mentioned before, research at several reputable universities supports the proposition that organic food genuinely does contain greater amounts of essential and beneficial nutrients.

As with vegetable produce, there is evidence that some organic fruit is drier than conventionally grown fruit. Unless this factor is taken into account a higher content of a nutrient might be explained by a higher dry-matter (lower moisture) content. A slightly drier fruit may also have a more intense flavor due to the higher concentration of nutrients, and as a result may be preferred by the consumer: a proposition that is at odds with the aformentioned claim of John Krebs. There is evidence that some organically grown fruits has a higher resistance to deterioration and better keeping quality, attributed to a lower moisture content.

Although it is commonly claimed that organically grown food tastes better than conventionally grown food, reviews of the literature that looked at the sensory qualities of the two have not found convincing evidence that there are any significant differences.

Psychological effects such as the “halo” effect which are related to the choice and consumption of organic food and which may be akin to religious experiences in some people are in addition important motivating factors in the purchase of organic food. An example of the halo effect was demonstrated by Schuldt and Schwarz. Their results showed that university students inferred that organic cookies were lower in calories and could be eaten more often than conventional cookies. This effect was observed even when the nutrition label conveyed an identical calorie content. The effect was more pronounced among participants who were strong supporters of organic production and had strong feelings about environmental issues. The perception that organic food is low-calorie food or health food appears to be quite common.

Economics

Demand for organic foods is primarily concern for personal health and concern for the environment. Organic products typically cost 10 to 40% more than similar conventionally produced products. According to the USDA, Americans, on average, spent $1,347 on groceries in 2004; thus switching entirely to organics would raise their cost of groceries by about $135 to $539 per year ($11 to $45 per month) assuming that prices remained stable with increased demand. Processed organic foods vary in price when compared to their conventional counterparts.

While organic food accounts for 1–2% of total food sales worldwide, the organic food market is growing rapidly, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations.

• World organic food sales jumped from US $23 billion in 2002 to $52 billion in 2008.
• The world organic market has been growing by 20% a year since the early 1990s, with future growth estimates ranging from 10%–50% annually depending on the country.

North America

United States

• Organic food is the fastest growing sector of the American food marketplace.
• Organic food sales have grown by 17 to 20 percent a year for the past few years while sales of conventional food have grown at only about 2 to 3 percent a year.

• In 2003 organic products were available in nearly 20,000 natural food stores and 73% of conventional grocery stores.

• Organic products accounted for 3.7% of total food and beverage sales, and 11.4% of all fruit and vegetable sales in the year 2009.

• Two thirds of organic milk and cream and half of organic cheese and yogurt are sold through conventional supermarkets.

Canada

• Organic food sales surpassed $1 billion in 2006, accounting for 0.9% of food sales in Canada.
• Organic food sales by grocery stores were 28% higher in 2006 than in 2005.
• British Columbians account for 13% of the Canadian population, but purchased 26% of the organic food sold in Canada in 2006.

Europe

In the European Union (EU25) 3.9% of the total utilized agricultural area was used for organic production in 2005. The countries with the highest proportion of organic land were Austria (11%) and Italy (8.4), followed by the Czech Republic and Greece (both 7.2%). The lowest figures were shown for Malta (0.1%), Poland (0.6%) and Ireland (0.8%). In 2009, the proportion of organic land in the EU grew to 4.7%. The countries with highest share of agricultural land were Liechtenstein (26.9%), Austria (18.5%) and Sweden (12.6%).

Austria

• 16% of all farmers produced organically in 2010. By the same year the proportion of organic land increased to 20%.

• In 2011, 7.4% of all food products sold in Austrian supermarkets (including discount stores) were organic. In 2007, 8,000 different organic products were available.

Italy

• Since 2000, the use of some organic food is compulsory in Italian schools and hospitals. A 2002 law of the Emilia Romagna region implemented in 2005, explicitly requires that the food in nursery and primary schools (from 3 months to 10 years) must be 100% organic, and the food in meals at schools, universities and hospitals must be at least 35% organic.

Poland

• In 2005 168,000 ha of land were under organic management. 7 percent of Polish consumers buy food that was produced according to the EU-Eco-regulation. The value of the organic market is estimated at 50 million Euros (2006).

Romania

• 100,000 ha of land were under organic management in 2010, representing 1% of the total utilized agricultural area. 70%-80% of the local organic production, amounting to 100 million Euros in 2010, is exported. The organic products market grew to 50 million Euros in 2010.

UK

• Organic food sales increased from just over £100 million in 1993/94 to £1.21 billion in 2004 (an 11% increase on 2003). In 2010, the UK sales of organic products fell 5.9% to £1.73 billion. 86% of households buy organic products, the most popular categories being dairies (30.5% of sales) and fresh fruits and vegetables (23.2% of sales). 4.2% of UK farmland is organically managed.

Latin America

Cuba

• After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, agricultural inputs that had previously been purchased from Eastern bloc countries were no longer available in Cuba, and many Cuban farms converted to organic methods out of necessity. Consequently, organic agriculture is a mainstream practice in Cuba, while it remains an alternative practice in most other countries. Although some products called organic in Cuba would not satisfy certification requirements in other countries (crops may be genetically modified, for example), Cuba exports organic citrus and citrus juices to EU markets that meet EU organic standards. Cuba's forced conversion to organic methods may position the country to be a global supplier of organic products.

See also

• Genetically modified food
• Kosher foods
• Organic beans
• Natural foods
• Organic clothing
• Organic farming
• Permaculture
• Soil Association
• Whole foods

References

1. The business of food: encyclopedia of the food and drink industries. ABC-CLIO. 2007. p. 288. ISBN 978-0-313-33725-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
2. ^ Magkos F, Arvaniti F, Zampelas A (2006). "Organic food: buying more safety or just peace of mind? A critical review of the literature". Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 46 (1): 23–56. doi:10.1080/10408690490911846. PMID 16403682.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
3. ^ Bourn D, Prescott J (2002). "A comparison of the nutritional value, sensory qualities, and food safety of organically and conventionally produced foods". Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 42 (1): 1–34. doi:10.1080/10408690290825439. PMID 11833635. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
4. ^ Kouba, M (2003). "Quality of organic animal products". Livestock Production Science. 80: 33–40. doi:10.1016/S0301-6226(02)00318-4.
5. ^ Blair, Robert. (2012). Organic Production and Food Quality: A Down to Earth Analysis. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK. ISBN 13: 9780813812175
6. ^ "Organic food". UK Food Standards Agency. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
7. ^ Williams, C. M. February 2002. Nutritional quality of organic food: shades of grey or shades of green? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 61(1): 19–24
8. ^ Canavari, M., Asioli, D., Bendini, A., Cantore, N., Gallina Toschi, T., Spiller, A., Obermowe, T., Buchecker, K. and Lohmann, M. (2009). Summary report on sensory-related socio-economic and sensory science literature about organic food products (2009). http://orgprints.org/17208/2/deliverable_1_2_sensory_literature.pdf
9. Drinkwater, Laurie E. (2009). "Ecological Knowledge: Foundation for Sustainable Organic Agriculture". In Francis, Charles (ed.). Organic farming: the ecological system. ASA-CSSA-SSSA. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-89118-173-6.
10. http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop
11. http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5082653&acct=noprulemaking
12. http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateC&navID=NationalOrganicProgram&leftNav=NationalOrganicProgram&page=NOPConsumers&description=Consumers&acct=nopgeninfo
13. ^ Paull, J. & Lyons, K. (2008) , Nanotechnology: The Next Challenge for Organics, Journal of Organic Systems, 3(1) 3–22
14. John, Paull (2006). "The Farm as Organism: The Foundational Idea of Organic Agriculture" (PDF). Elementals: Journal of Bio-Dynamics Tasmania. 80: 14–18.
15. Labeling: Preamble
16. Nestle, Marion. 2006. What to Eat. NY: North Point Press.
17. http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_20459.cfm
18. Stolze, M.; Piorr, A.; Häring, A.M. and Dabbert, S. (2000) Environmental impacts of organic farming in Europe. Organic Farming in Europe: Economics and Policy Vol. 6. Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart-Hohenheim.
19. Hansen, Birgitt (2001). "Approaches to assess the environmental impact of organic farming with particular regard to Denmark". Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 83 (1–2): 11–26. doi:10.1016/S0167-8809(00)00257-7. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
20. Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. "Assessment of the environmental impacts of organic farming" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-09-29.
21. Johnson, K.A. and Johnson, D.E. (1995). Methane emissions from cattle. Journal of Animal Science 73: 2483-2492.
22. Capper, J.L., Cady, R.A. and Bauman, D.E. (2009). The environmental impact of dairy production: 1944 compared with 2007. Journal of Animal Science 87: 2160-2167.
23. Bob Goldberg. "The Hypocrisy of Organic Farmers". AgBioWorld. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
24. Andrew Leonard. "Save the rain forest -- boycott organic?". How The World Works. Retrieved 2007-10-10.
25. Mader; Fliessbach, A; Dubois, D; Gunst, L; Fried, P; Niggli, U; et al. (2002). "Soil Fertility and Biodiversity in Organic Farming". Science. 296 (5573): 1694–1697. doi:10.1126/science.1071148. PMID 12040197. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
26. Welsh, Rick (1999). "Economics of Organic Grain and Soybean Production in the Midwestern United States" (PDF). Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture.
27. Johnston, A. E. (1986). "Soil organic-matter, effects on soils and crops". Soil Use Management. 2 (3): 97–105. doi:10.1111/j.1475-2743.1986.tb00690.x.
28. The Bichel Committee. 1999. Report from the main committee. Danish Environmental Protection Agency. Conclusions and recommendations of the Committee: 8.7.1 Total phase-out. Report not available in print but posted online at: http://www.mst.dk/udgiv/Publications/1998/87-7909-445-7/html/kap08_eng.htm#8.7.1. "A total abolition of pesticide use would result in an average drop in farming yields of between 10% and 25%, at the farm level; the smallest losses would occur in cattle farming. On farms that have a large proportion of special crops, such as potatoes, sugar beet and seed grass, the production losses in terms of quantity would be closer to 50%. These crops would probably be ousted by other crops."
29. Michael Pollan (2008-10-12). "Chief farmer". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
30. Perfecto et al., in Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems (2007), 22: 86–108 Cambridge University Press: cited in New Scientist 13:46 12 July 2007
31. "Stuck in the mud". The Economist. 2008-08-11.
32. Reganold; Glover, JD; Andrews, PK; Hinman, HR; et al. (2001). "Sustainability of three apple production systems". Nature. 410 (6831): 926–930. doi:10.1038/35073574. PMID 11309616. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
33. Dalgaard; et al. (2001). "A model for fossil energy use in Danish agriculture used to compare organic and conventional farming". Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 87: 51=65. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
34. Pimental; et al. (1983). "Energy efficiency of farming systems: Organic and conventional agriculture". Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 9: 359–372. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
35. Maeder; et al. (2002). "Soil Fertility and Biodiversity in Organic Farming". Science. 296: 1694–1697. doi:10.1126/science.1071148. PMID 12040197. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
36. Chassy and Mitchell, Alexander W. and Alyson E. "Antioxidants and the Nutritional Quality of Organic Agriculture" (PDF). COMMUNIQUÉ, Inc. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
37. Greenbaum, Laura. . University of Colorado. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
38. Davis and Winter, Carl K. and Sarah F. "Scientific Status Summary: Organic Foods" (PDF). Journal of Food Science. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
39. Greenbaum, Laura. . University of Colorado. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
40. ^ Gold, Mary. "Should I Purchase Organic Foods?". USDA. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
41. Scharf, Michael E. . Purdue University. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
42. Fishel, Frederick M. . University of Florida. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
43. "Analysis: E.coli outbreak poses questions for organic farming". Reuters. 06 June 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
44. Chassy and Mitchell, Alexander W. and Alyson E. "Antioxidants and the Nutritional Quality of Organic Agriculture" (PDF). COMMUNIQUÉ, Inc. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
45. Greenbaum, Laura. . University of Colorado. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
46. Davis and Winter, Carl K. and Sarah F. "Scientific Status Summary: Organic Foods" (PDF). Journal of Food Science. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
47. Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA). Organically Grown Produce: Does organic produce taste better? & Is organic produce more nutritious?
48. Sir John Krebs. June 5, 2003. Is organic food better for you? Speech given by the then-chair of the Food Standards Agency (UK), Sir John Krebs, to the Cheltenham Science Fair on June 5, 2005. Posted on the Food Standards Agency website: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2003/jun/cheltenham
49. Rosen, "A Review of the Nutrition Claims Made by Proponents of Organic Food", Comprehensive Reviews In Food Science And Safety,
50. Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1080/09637480120092071, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1080/09637480120092071 instead.
51. Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2005.02.001, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1016/j.tifs.2005.02.001 instead.
52. Chassy and Mitchell, Alexander W. and Alyson E. "Antioxidants and the Nutritional Quality of Organic Agriculture" (PDF). COMMUNIQUÉ, Inc. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
53. Greenbaum, Laura. . University of Colorado. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
54. Davis and Winter, Carl K. and Sarah F. "Scientific Status Summary: Organic Foods" (PDF). Journal of Food Science. Retrieved 06/25/12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
55. Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA). Organically Grown Produce: Does organic produce taste better? & Is organic produce more nutritious?
56. Sir John Krebs. June 5, 2003. Is organic food better for you? Speech given by the then-chair of the Food Standards Agency (UK), Sir John Krebs, to the Cheltenham Science Fair on June 5, 2005. Posted on the Food Standards Agency website: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2003/jun/cheltenham
57. Schuldt, J.P. and Schwarz, N. (2010). The “organic” path to obesity? Organic claims influence calorie judgments and exercise recommendations. Judgment and Decision Making 5: 144–150.
58. Conflicting demands of agricultural production and environmental conservation: consumers' perception of the quality and safety of food (2004). Filho, Walter Leal (ed.). Ecological agriculture and rural development in Central and Eastern European countries. IOS Press. pp. 147–148. ISBN 978-1-58603-439-9.
59. Winter, CK and SF Davis, 2006 "Organic Foods" Journal of Food Science 71(9):R117–R124.
60. Food Spending in American Households, 2003-04
61. "The Global Market for Organic Food & Drink". Organic Monitor. 2002. Retrieved 2006-06-20.
62. "Food: Global Industry Guide". Datamonitor. 2009. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
63. http://www.barackobama.com/issues/pdf/EnvironmentFactSheet.pdf
64. Hansen, Nanette (2004). "Organic food sales see healthy growth". MSNBC. Retrieved 2006-06-20.
65. Warner, Melanie. "What Is Organic? Powerful Players Want a Say". New York Times: Nov. 1, 2005.
66. Catherine Greene and Carolyn Dimitri (2003). "Organic Agriculture: Gaining Ground". USDA Economic Research Service. Retrieved 2006-06-20.
67. "Industry Statistics and Projected Growth". Organic Trade Association. June 2010. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
68. Dryer, Jerry (2003). "Market Trends: Organic Lessons". Prepared Foods. Retrieved 2006-06-20.
69. ^ Macey, Anne (2007). "Retail Sales of Certified Organic Food Products in Canada in 2006" (pdf). Organic Agriculture Center of Canada. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
70. Macey, Anne (2007). "Retail Sales of Certified Organic Food Products in Canada in 2006. Organic food is not all organic. only food labeled with a 100% organic sticker are pesticide-free/" (pdf). Organic Agriculture Center of Canada. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
71. "Organic Farming in the European Union" (PDF). European Commission. p. 30. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
72. European Commission – Eurostat. "Eurostat press release 80/2007" (PDF). p. 1. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
73. FiBL,OTA. "Organic Market Growth - Facts and Figures". Retrieved 2012-01-18.
74. Bauernzeitung (RollAMA survey). "Bio hat Zukunft, aber auch viele Probleme". Retrieved 2012-01-19.
75. Typisch.at (RollAMA survey). "Bio-Aufwärtstrend in Österreich". Retrieved 2012-01-19.
76. BIO AUSTRIA. "Wirtschaftlicher Durchbruch für Bio-Fachhandel im Jubiläumsjahr". Retrieved 2007-11-13.
77. Organic Consumers Association. "Italian Law Calls for All Organic Foods in Nation's Schools". Retrieved 2007-11-13.
78. SixtyTwo International Consultants. "The organic food market in Poland: Ready for take-off". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
79. Cult Market Research. "Piata de produse bio din Romania in cifre". Retrieved 2012-01-18.
80. Organic Centre Wales. "Organic statistics – the shape of organic food and farming". Retrieved 2007-10-08.
81. Soil Association. "Organic market report 2011". Retrieved 2012-01-18.
82. Alison Auld. "Farming with Fidel". Retrieved 2007-10-08.
83. Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. "Cuban GMO Vision" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-10-08.
84. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología de Cuba. "DirecciÓn de Investigaciones Agropecuarias". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
85. Office of Global Analysis, FAS, USDA. "Cuba's Food & Agriculture Situation Report" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-09-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Further reading

• Organic food: consumers' choices and farmers' opportunities. Springer. 2007. ISBN 978-0-387-39581-4. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
• Duram, Leslie A. (2010). Encyclopedia of Organic, Sustainable, and Local Food. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-35963-7.
• Givens, D. Ian; et al. (2008). Health Benefits of Organic Food: Effects of the Environment. CABI. ISBN 978-1-84593-459-0. {{cite book}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
• Gussow, Joan Dye (2002). This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader. Chelsea Green Publishing. ISBN 1-931498-24-5.
• Guthman, Julie (2004). Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-24095-2.
• Hamilton, Denis; Crossley, Stephen (editors) (2004). Pesticide residues in food and drinking water. J. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-48991-3. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Hond, Frank; et al. (2003). Pesticides: problems, improvements, alternatives. Blackwell Science. ISBN 0-632-05659-2. {{cite book}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
• Nestle, Marion (2007). Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-25403-9.
• PAN-UK (2008). Pesticides on a Plate. PAN-UK (UK). ISBN 978-0-9549542-6-0.
• Pretty, J. N.; et al. (2006). "Resource-Conserving Agriculture Increases Yields in Developing Countries". Environmental Science and Technology. 40 (4): 1114–1119. doi:10.1021/es051670d. PMID 16572763. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
• Organic agriculture, environment and food security. FAO, United Nations. 2002. ISBN 978-92-5-104819-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
• Stokstad, Erik (2002). "Organic Farms Reap Many Benefits". Science. 296 (5573): 1589. doi:10.1126/science.296.5573.1589a. PMID 12040154. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
• Watson, David H. (editor) (2004). Pesticide, veterinary and other residues in food. Woodhead Publishing. ISBN 1-85573-734-5. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
• Wargo, John (1998). Our Children's Toxic Legacy: How Science and Law Fail to Protect Us from Pesticides. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-07446-8.
• Williams, Christine (2002). "Nutritional quality of organic food: shades of grey or shades of green?". Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. pp. 19–24. {{cite conference}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (|book-title= suggested) (help)

External links

• Organic Consumers Association
• Organic Information Center
• A World Map of Organic Agriculture
• USDA National Organic Program Responsible for administering organic food production & labeling standards in the United States
• "Organic Food", UK Food Standards Agency
• "Pesticide and Food" (pdf) -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• "Pesticide Residue Limits on Food" -- EPA
• "Organics Olympiad 2011: Global Indices of Leadership in Organic Agriculture" -- Journal of Social and Development Sciences

• Organic food
• Sustainable food system
• Product certification