"aem" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> 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."

Hardly. Organic farming reduces the amount of pesticides and fertilizers
going into the earth thus preserving the quality of water and soil. This has
far reaching effects in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Further,
it reduces the contaminants that eventually find their way into the food we
eat and the water that we drink, both directly and indirectly. This is not
a "belief system", but scientific facts.

> [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.

Here's an article from WebMD (http://tinyurl.com/567ej) stating that organic
foods are higher in flavanoids which "play important roles in preventing
cancer and heart disease".

Another article from Medical News Today (http://tinyurl.com/4jgok) in the
form of a factsheet states, among other things, that "The most dangerous
chemicals used in farming such as organophosphates [pesticides] have been
linked with a range of conditions such as cancer, decreasing male fertility,
foetal abnormalities, chronic fatigue syndrome in children and Parkinson's
disease. 8,9 Pesticide residues have been ranked among the top three
environmental cancer risks by the American Government.", and "Consumers who
wish to minimise their dietary pesticide exposure can do so with confidence
by buying organically grown food" (Baker et al 2002).".

There you are, a couple of solid references from the medical community
resulting from a quick web search. I could give you more but you get the
idea. The benefits of organic agriculture to human health is real and
endorsed by an overwhelming number of scientists and doctors.

>> 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.

Where I live, most of the Asian and Mexican stores are in one area and not
convenient for many shoppers. My comparison was for chain grocery stores
found in most neighborhoods. Even within the grocery stores, organic foods
is not much more expensive than non-organic foods.