Transcript Organic Farming - Life Science 8

Organic Vs. Conventional
Food: Nutritious Value
By: Eric Albuquerque
Science
8-4
1/4/12
Organic and Conventional Food
 Organic Food: Food that comes from organic farming
 Organic Farming: Farming methods that do not use
farming chemicals to grow, sustain, and process food
Products certified 95 percent or more organic have this seal
from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
 Conventional Food: Food that comes from conventional
farming
 Conventional Farming: Farming methods that use
farming chemicals to grow, sustain, and process food
Organic Farming Advantages
 No use of chemical fertilizers to keep soil fresh;
instead, use of manure and compost
 No use of pesticides to keep out/kill pests; instead, use
of insects, birds, or traps
 No use of herbicides for weed management; instead,
use of mulch, rotating crops, and hand weed
 No use of hormones or antibiotics to promote animals
growth and prevent decease; instead, use of organic
feed, roaming
 Keep balanced diet and clean housing for farm animals
Organic Farming Disadvantages
 Costs more than conventional farming
 Organic farmers pay more for organic animal feed
 Farming is more labor intensive
 Organic farmers cannot produce as much as
conventional farmers because they stay away from
chemicals in farm products
 Cost reflects in grocery stores; organic produce is more
expensive than conventional produce
 Organic food does not last as long as conventionally
farmed food
Conventional Farming Advantages
 The only realistic advantage in conventional farming is
the cost
 It costs less to produce products in conventional than
in organic farming
 Conventional foods are less expensive than organic
foods in the grocery store
Conventional Farming Disadvantages
 Use of chemical fertilizers to keep soil fresh
 Use of pesticides to keep out/kill pests
 Use of herbicides for weed management
 Use of hormones and antibiotics to promote animals’
growth and prevent disease
Organic Foods Are Better Sources
of Nutrition
 All the chemicals that conventional farmers use to
maintain the produce causes loss of nutrients
 Example: Organic milk has 67% more vitamins and
antioxidants and more omega-3s and omega-6s
(“good” fats) than conventional milk
 Organic foods have no additives and are not genetically
modified
Organic Farming Prevents
Development of Antibiotic-Resistant
Bacteria
 Use of antibiotics in conventional farming causes growth
of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics
Many Diseases Are Associated
with Pesticides in Conventional
Foods
 Diseases associated
with pesticide
exposure:
 Attention Deficit
and Hyperactive
Disorder (ADHD)
 Autism
 Dementia
Conclusion
 The nutritious and health benefits of organic foods
outweigh the costs of organic farming
Sources
 Alvarez, Luis M. “It’s Easy Being Green: Organic Vs. Conventional Foods - The
Gloves Come Off.” Center for American Progress. N.p., 10 Sept. 2008. Web. 4
Jan. 2012.
<http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/09/organic_green.html>.
 “Good Meats Vs. Bad Meats: Your Definitive Guide to How to Choose
Healthiest Meat.” Body Ecology. N.p., 23 Mar. 2007. Web. 4 Jan. 2012.
<http://bodyecology.com/articles/how_to_choose_healthiest_meat.php>.
 “Organic Foods: Are They Safer? More Nutritious?” Mayo Clinic. Mayo
Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 3 Dec. 2011. Web. 4 Jan.
2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255#>.
 Park, Alice. “Study: A Link between Pesticides and ADHD.” Time 17 May 2010:
n. pag. Rpt. in Time. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Time Health. Web. 4 Jan. 2012.
<http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1989564,00.html>.
 Pearlstein, Joanna. “Surprise! Conventional Agriculture Can Be Easier on the
Planet.” Wired Magazine. N.p., 19 May 2008. Web. 4 Jan. 2012.
<http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/1606/ff_heresies_03organics>.