According to a report by ABC News, organic produce costs up to 32 percent more than conventionally grown produce.
Despite the drastic price difference between conventionally grown produce and organic produce, consumers continue to pay the difference. In fact, organic produce sales have increased by 16 percent from 2007 to 2008, according to the American Dietetic Association.
The giant gap in prices between organic and conventional produce is not due to the cost of production. There is a huge supply and demand problem.
But even with the boom in consumption, less than 1 percent of the United State’s agricultural land is dedicated to organic produce.
The great demand consumers have for organic produce will undoubtedly force farmers to increase the amount of farmland dedicated to organic produce. However, making the switch from conventional farming to organic farming is a very risky and expensive endeavor for farmers, so the supply may still lag for years to come.
Organic produce offers many benefits to the environment. It is produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Supporters of organic produce claim that the pesticides and fertilizers harm the environment by causing groundwater pollution.
Opponents of conventional farming also say fertilizers cause harm to our bodies. Conventional farming methods may also damage the soil because crops are not rotated appropriately.
Organic farming uses animal manure and compost to fertilize crops. Birds and insects are strategically placed to combat pests in place of insecticides. Weeds are managed by hand, rotation of crops and laying wood chips to prevent weeds from springing up.
It is a much more sustainable farming practice and will allow farmers of later generations to grow crops.
The debate continues about the health benefits organic produce offers consumers. Fruits and vegetables produced by conventional farming methods have a residue of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers on their skins.
Many people believe this residue will cause cancer, brain damage and other health problems. However, most health experts believe that the small amount of residue on produce is safe for consumers.
Recent research has shown that organic fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of the minerals phosphorus, magnesium and nitrogen, which are beneficial for your health.
Cancer-fighting antioxidants were also found in higher levels in organically grown produce. However, the differences found were very small and their effects are still being debated. A recent systematic review of past studies found no difference in the amounts of minerals and antioxidants found in organic produce compared with conventionally grown produce. More research is needed to establish if organic produce is more beneficial to your health.
Going green is a massive movement and I definitely support protecting our environment, but organic produce is very expensive. As of now, organic produce has not been proven to effectively lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Eating the recommended nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables – regardless of organic status – does significantly reduce your risks.
It is not wise for starving college students to sacrifice getting the recommended daily fruits and vegetables in their diet to prevent harm to the environment. If you cannot afford organic produce it is not worth sacrificing the amount of fruits and veggies you get in your diet to buy it.
If eating organically is very important to you, purchasing fruits and vegetables that are currently in season will help to cut the cost.
Also, you can reduce your carbon footprint by buying produce from local farmer’s markets. Make sure you check out the on-campus farmer’s market at Canterbury Chapel when it gets started up this May.
JoLee Seaborn is a senior majoring in nutrition. Her health column runs on Wednesdays.
