Organic: a marketing ploy or the real deal?

A few years back, when I first started seeing the word "organic" on food products, I brushed it aside as something that belonged to lifestyles of the rich and famous, or else hippie type folk who live out in the bundus, in a cloud... of something;)

I was completely wrong.

The word “organic” actually refers to the way agricultural products are grown and produced. It legally details the permitted use (or not) of certain ingredients in these foods and it is NO easy certification to get, I can tell you that. You are looking at a minimum of 3 years to get certified and there is a lot of work and a lot of money involved in the process during that time. That means that, if something says organic, you can be pretty sure that it is and, thanks to our Consumer Protection Act, we are further protected from getting the wool pulled over our eyes.

These are some of the standards organic producers must adhere to. To read them in full, go here:

1. Synthetic chemicals (including pesticides and fertilizers) are not permitted.
2. All materials and the products produced from genetically modified organisms, are not compatible with the principles of organic production and are not accepted.
3. The use of irradiation is not allowed.
4. A quality and safety management system will be an integral part of the organic production system and inspection and certification will be carried out before a product can be labelled organic.
5. A product can't be certified as organic unless the farmer has been subjected to a conversion period. During this period, the product is subject to all the relevant standards. Inspections will be carried out during the conversion period and, should the farmer not adhere to any of the standards, they will be forced to start the conversion period again. The conversion period is a minimum of 3 years.
6. If the whole farm is not organically certified, then it must be converted to organic management practices over a time not exceeding 5 years, and it must apply with all the standards. If it's not possible to do this, a good explanation must be provided. During the transition to full organic certification, there must be NO cross contamination of conventional farming with organic farming. Farmers can't use the same tractors or tools and animals must be housed separately.
7. Genetic engineering is excluded from organic production and processing. The deliberate use of GMOs in organic farming systems or products is prohibited. This includes animals, seed, propagation material, and farm inputs such as fertilisers, soil conditioners, vaccines or crop protection materials. Organic processed products also can't use ingredients, additives or processing aids derived from GMO’s.

To put it in plainer english, all of this basically means that organic products cannot contain any of the following yucky stuff:

• antibiotics
• artificial growth hormones
• high fructose corn syrup
• artificial dyes (made from coal tar and petrochemicals)
• artificial sweeteners derived from chemicals
• synthetically created chemical pesticide and fertilizers
• genetically engineered proteins and ingredients
• sewage sludge
• irradiation

Did you even know that non-organic products contain those things? Most of us aren't even aware of them because, when you buy a bag of apples, they don't list "sewage sludge" in the ingredients.

Eeeeewww, gross!

As far as you knew, all you were getting was apples! 

What about animal cloning or genetically engineering salmon to grow to unnatural sizes? If you buy organic or free-range, those would definitely be considered inconsistent with organic practices, too, for pretty obvious reasons. Anything that requires time in a laboratory, goes against organic practice. We were concerned about horse meat in our beef a few months back. That is the LEAST of your worries if you don't buy organic or free-range! We don't really question the quality of our food. We take for granted that the manufacturers and distributors of conventional food have our best interests at heart. 

They don't. 

Nor do they care about the animals that they farm. They follow the BARE minimum requirements when it comes to the treatment of animals and those leave a lot to be desired as it is.

Back to the issue of whether or not organic is all it's cracked up to be, the truth is, what we call “organic food,”  these days, our grandparents and our great grandparents would have simply called “food.”  All of these new ingredients didn’t exist when we were younger. They were created in laboratories, patented and then introduced into our foods just a few decades ago and they are slowly killing us.

I think the problem for most people, is the high price of organic food. But the reality is that the scrutiny that these foods undergo is huge and expensive and that's what drives the prices up, not just for the consumer, but for the farmer too.  You saw those standards. Here is the great irony: farms using genetically engineered seeds and saturating crops in insecticides get SUBSIDIES from the government to carry on growing those tainted crops while the organic farmers get  put through stringent testing and CHARGED FEES to prove that their crops are safe?! That's a bit like getting fined to wear your seat belt...

In an ideal world, the organic farms would be getting financed and the non-organic farmers would be paying fines, but unfortunately, the playing field is far from level. In fact, it's over-balanced in the completely wrong direction. I'm sure if we all had the choice, we'd want our taxes going towards healthier foods for our families. But the reality is that the big corporations, who don't give two hoots about our health, or our environment, are smiling all the way to the bank while those who are actively trying to help YOU and the environment, are being penalised for it. Isn't that always the way?

So, what should you do? Do you opt out of the healthier option, and continue to buy the genetically engineered, insecticide drenched crops and save yourself a bit of money? Or do you join the growing number of people who are choosing health and life over that extra cash. Granted, you DO pay a little more. But, now that you know what you're actually paying for, doesn't it make you feel a little better knowing that, not only are you helping to build a better future for your kids, but you are also part of a uprising that is growing steadily. You are helping to level the playing fields and tip the balance in the favour of life. It really IS that big. Those big  corporations are responsible, not only for playing with our lives, but also for destroying our beautiful planet, with every spray of insecticide and every forest they destroy, to make space for more of their poisonous crops. Have you heard what insecticides are doing to our bees and other insects? Never mind the rhino, insects are JUST as important and we are willfully killing them off.

If that doesn't do it for you, think of your health. Are cheaper, chemical-ridden products worth the amount of doctors appointments, hospital stays, surgeries, chemotherapy and chronic medication you will be paying for, for the rest of your life? Not to mention the trauma you go through when you or a loved one is ill. That applies to you AND your family. I guarantee you WILL save money on your health. I know because I already have. I used to get sick at least 4 times a year. I don't anymore. I heal so fast if I am injured in any way that I don't need medication. I can't remember the last time I took any medication or went to a doctor. You won't even find a panado in my house. I promise you, organic makes a HUGE difference to your health and your pocket.

A while ago, you may have rolled your eyes at the mention of the word organic. I did the same. But allow yourself the chance to change, and admit you were wrong. I managed it. It has already been proven that chemicals in food and other products are contributing to the rise in cancer. You can't really ignore it anymore. I bet almost everyone who reads this, knows someone who is fighting cancer. It's becoming as common as a cold! There's a reason for that and, if you're wise, you know what it is.

The next time you are in a grocery store, try choosing the organically certified option instead. (Look here to become familiar with the logos.) Instead of paying a doctor, consider that the best medication for you and your family might just be on your dinner plate.