NOFA Massachusetts - Why should I buy organic food?
Organic food is the fastest growing sector of US agriculture. Even though oranic products often cost more than conventional foods, many consumers believe they are a better value. Why? Most food raised in the US today comes from "factory farming". This means food raised on large, industrial-scale farms and feedlots. This food is cheap because the use of large machines, chemical fertilizers, and synthetic pesticides makes it possible to minimize labor costs and maximize output. Unfortunately, there is a serious price to pay for factory farming. It is a price paid in both human and community health. What are the health impacts of factory farming?As our agricultural and food processing systems have become larger, their managers have tried to apply industrial models in order to increase production. Unfortunately for them, however, corn and carrots and cows don't respond well to the industrial model -- they are biological organisms of great complexity. As major changes take place in the living systems of which they are a part, they and those systems will respond negatively. At the same time as the US government officials are reassuring Americans that our food system has never been safer, we read about fatal outbreaks of foodborne disease from salmonella, E coli, listeria and other virulent microbes in meat, eggs and produce. Dioxin contamination and mad cow disease have reached epidemic proportions in Europe. Routine use of antibiotics, pesticides and growth hormones to increase agricultural production imperils our immune systems. The use of sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic engineering in farming presents us with unknown dangers. The only food production system which prohibits industrial farming practices is organic farming. Food labeled "certified organic" and listing the certifier by name assures the consumer taht rigorous organic standards have been followed in all stages of production. Labels which give the location of production allow consumers to select local farms for fresher food and for the clean soil, water, air and open space benefits with come from organic stewardship Support local, organic farming to keep our Massachusetts land open and our local communities vital while benefitting the environment.
This page was last modified on November 25, 2008 at 10:18:18 AM.
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