Questioning Organic

Everywhere we are urged to go organic: we are told it is more nutritious, it improves animal welfare and helps the environment. In reality, that is mostly marketing hype, say Bjorn Lomborg. (1) In 2012 Stanford University's Center for Health Policy did the biggest comparison of organic and conventional foods and concluded that the published literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods. (2)

A recent review has just repeated Stanford's finding: “Scientific studies do not show that organic products are more nutritious and safer than conventional foods.” (3) Likewise, animals on organic farms are not generally healthier. A five year study showed that organic health outcomes are similar to conventional dairies. (4) H. L. Tuomisto and colleagues report that organic farming is sold as good for the environment. This is correct for a single farm field: organic farming uses less energy, emits less greenhouse gases, nitrous oxide and ammonia and causes less nitrogen leaching than a conventional field. But each organic field yields much, much less. So, to grow the same amount of wheat, spinach, or strawberries, you need much more land. That means that average organic produce results in the emission of about as many greenhouse gases as conventional produce and about 10 percent more nitrous oxide, ammonia and acidification. Worse, to produce equivalent quantities, organic farms need to occupy 84 percent more land—land which can't be used for forests and genuine nature reserves. For example, to produce the amount of food America uses today, but organically, would require increasing its farmland by the size of almost two United Kingdoms. That is the equivalent of eradicating all park lands and wild lands in the lower 48 states. (5) Then there's the common belief that organics avoid pesticides. Not so! Organic farming can use any pesticide that is 'natural.' This includes copper sulfate, which has resulted in liver disease in vineyard sprayers in France. Pyrethrin is another organic pesticide; one study shows a 3.7 fold increase in leukemia among farmers who handled pyrethrins compared to those who had not. (1) Other organic pesticides include rotenone, a neurotoxin that causes symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease when administered to rats, and sulfur, which Cornell University scientists concluded was the most environmentally harmful substance widely used in farming. (6)

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Bjorn Lomborg adds, “Organics is a rich world phenomenon, with 90 percent of sales in North America and Europe. Despite a fivefold increase in sales over the past 15 years just 1 percent of global cropland is organic. That's because almost half of humanity depends on food grown with synthetic fertilizers, excluded by organic rules.” (1) Then there's the issue of terminology. Alex Berezow says, “The language of science has been hijacked. Those who are looking to make a quick buck (or in the case of the organic industry, 43 billion bucks) have no qualms about twisting the definition of highly precise scientific terminology to suit their own profit-driven agendas. Misinterpreting scientists' words is also a common tactic employed by fearmongering environmentalists and activists.” (7) In fact, the problem of hijacked scientific terminology is so great that Josh Bloom wrote an entire book about it. (8) With a few notable exceptions, such as carbon dioxide, the word 'organic' refers to any molecule that contains carbon. Hence, the field of organic chemistry examines the reactions of carbon-containing compounds. Yet, the popular meaning of 'organic' has nothing to do with chemistry. Instead, when used by foodies and health gurus, it generally refers to food that was grown without chemicals or pesticides. (7) The mismatch between the use of the word organic and all other uses creates a number of paradoxes, some of which are rather amusing.

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Here are some silly examples. Three foods, which don't exactly represent the epitome of health and well-being—Pop Tarts, Oreos, and Kraft Mac and Cheese—are now organic. It's not that any of these tasty delights, when eaten in moderation is going to put you in an early grave, but if you think that simply because the 'magic word' now appears on the package that you will exist for one more healthy second on Earth, you are deluding yourself. Other examples include organic water, tampons and cat litter. (7)

Final Words

Carl Djerassi, co-inventor of the pill and former professor at Stanford University says, “Grown totally organic, or some such hyperbole is a manifestation of ignorance, of linguistic slovenliness or of deliberate imprecision. How does one grow any plant without inorganic components: fertilizers, trace metal constituents and the like? Furthermore, let those who inevitably equate synthetic organic chemicals with toxicity remember some of the most powerful and lethal poisons are naturally occurring 'organic' substances.” (9) Lastly, from Lomborg, “Essentially, organic food is rich people spending their extra cash to feel good. While that is just as valid as spending it on holidays, we should resist any implied moral superiority. (1) Reference 1. Bjorn Lomborg, “Think organic food is better for you, animals and the planet? Think again,” The Telegraph, June 12, 2016 2. Crystal Smith-Spangler et al., “Are organic foods safer or healthier than conventional alternatives?”, Ann. Intern. Med. 157, 348, 2012 3. Fernanda Galgano et al., “Conventional and organic foods: a comparison focused on animal products,” Food & Science Technology, February 12, 2016 4. “Organic and conventional dairies show few differences in cow health and milk,” extension.oregonstate.edu/news/release, August 20, 2014 5. H. L. Tuomisto et al., “Does organic farming reduce environmental impacts” A meta-analysis of European research,” Journal of Environmental Management, 112, 309, December 15, 2012 6. Alex Avery, “Natural mistake,” Hudson Institute, May 29, 2002 7. Alex Berezow, “What organic and chemical actually mean: a glossary of hijacked terms,”” acsh.org, May 24, 2016 8. Josh Bloom, The Name Game, (New York, American Council on Science and Health, 2016) 9. Carl Djerassi, The Pill, Pygmy Chimps and Degas Horse, (New York, Basic Books, 1992), 76