shroomer wrote:
> "Sheldon" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >
[snip OP]
> > Organic Foods is a belief system (a religion if you will), if you
> > believe it's organic then it is... but in the US there is no
> > government Standard.
>
> See http://tinyurl.com/3m22m for specifications for USDA organic
> regulations. There are very specific rules for legally labeling food
> as organic. It includes certification, permissible farming methods,
> and testing. There are some pesticides permitted in organic
> agriculture. However, they are of the type that have a very short
> half-life and are used by a very small percentage of organic farmers.
> Organic agriculture isn't just about the use of fertilizers, it's
> also about responsible use of the land and water.

Sounds to me like you agree with Sheldon: "responsible use of the land
and water" is pretty much equivalent to "a belief system."
>
[snip]
> > But I'd not be too concerned with Organic (for those with
> > more dollars than brain cells), the human body is quite remarkable
> > at surviving.
>
> You should read more about the high incidence of cancer among the
> American population. Much of it is attributed to the use of
> pesticides,fertilizers, growth hormones, steroids, and other
> chemicals used in the production of our food.
>
"Attributed to" is pretty much my problem with this whole organics
industry, because nearly all the time the people doing the attributing
are not medical scientists but rather those who are selling the organic
stuff. It's mostly quasi-science, and pseudo-science, and just plain
marketing. The other important factor in the "high incidence" of
cancer--and it is important statistically--is the increased longevity
of the population.

[snip]

> Try visiting Whole Foods or another natural food store and
> compare prices with what you buy in your usual grocery store.
> You will be surprised to find that most items are comparable in
> cost, and sometimes even lower.

Surprised?! Hell, I'd be falling down astonished. I drop in at Whole
Foods about every six weeks (they have something I like for lunch if
that's when I drive by) and, while they have good sales on certain
things sometimes, just like all stores, the overall price levels are
not competitive with the chains or the asian or the mexican stores I go
to.

-aem