1. Organic products meet stringent standards.
Organic
certification is the public�s assurance that products have been grown
and handled according to strict procedures without persistent toxic
chemical inputs. When you see that a product has been Certified Organic
by QAI (Quality Assurance International), you can rest assured that the
product, its ingredients and the manufacturer have gone through a
thorough investigation.
2. Organic food tastes great!
It�s
common sense -- well balanced soils grow strong healthy plants that
taste great. Try an organic orange or vine-ripened tomato for a sweet
and juicy flavor treat.
In a study done
by Washington State University in Pullman, published in the April 19,
2001 issue of the journal of Nature, researchers measured the effects
of an organic, a conventional and an integrated apple production system
on the sustainability indicators of horticultural performance, soil
quality, orchard profitability, environmental quality and energy
efficiency. Taste was measured three ways. Mechanical analysis on fruit
firmness at harvest and after six months storage was higher for organic
than its two competitors. The ratio of sugar content to acidity, an
indication of sweetness, was higher among organic apples as well. These
results were then confirmed by consumer taste tests. To find out more
you can go to http://www.nature.com,
the title of the article is called The Sustainability of Three Apple
Production Systems. (Natural Foods Merchandiser, June 2001)
3. Organic production reduces health risks.
Many
EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research
linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Now, the EPA
considers 60% of all herbicides (weed killers), 90% of all fungicides
(mold killers), and 30% of all insecticides (insect killers) as
potentially cancer causing. Organic farming keeps harmful chemicals and
pesticides out of the food we eat and beverages we drink. It also
prohibits the use of antibiotics in animal feed, which are routinely
used in conventional farming and is known to create dangerous
antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Organic farms also benefit the farm
workers who have high exposure to chemicals and synthetic pesticides.
4. Organic farms respect our water sources.
The
elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in
combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources.
Organic farming reduces toxic farming runoff and pollutants that
contaminate our water, soil and air.
5. Organic farmers build soil.
Soil
is the foundation of the food chain and the primary focus of organic
farming. We�re facing the worst topsoil erosion in history due to our
current agricultural practice of chemical intensive, mono-crop farming.
6. Organic farmers work in harmony with nature.
Organic
agriculture respects the balance demanded of a healthy ecosystem:
wildlife is an essential part of a total farm and is encouraged by
including forage crops in rotation and by retaining fence rows,
wetlands, and other natural areas.
7. Organic producers are leaders in innovative research.
Organic
farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative
on-farm research aimed at reducing pesticide use and minimizing
agriculture�s impact on the environment.
Organic farming is better for the environment, better for business,
more energy efficient and makes better tasting fruit than conventional
methods and most integrated production systems, according to the
research conducted at Washington State University. (Natural Foods
Merchandiser, June 2001)
8. Organic producers strive to preserve diversity.
The
loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) is one of our most
pressing environmental concerns. The good news is that many organic
farmers and gardeners have been collecting and preserving seeds, and
growing unusual varieties for decades.
9. Organic farming helps keep rural communities healthy.
The
USDA predicts that by the year 2000, half of U.S. farm production will
come from 1% of farms. Organic farming may be one of the few survival
tactics left for the family farm and the rural community.
10. Organic abundance � Foods and non-foods alike!
Now
every food category has an organic alternative. And non-food
agricultural products are being grown organically - even cotton, which
most experts felt could not be grown organically.
Help support the farmers who are pioneering the organic revolution. Buy Organic!
�Organic Trade Association 1996
PO Box 1078
Greenfield, MA 01302
Phone: 413-774-7511
Fax: 413-774-6432
http://www.ota.com
Contact the OTA for more information on organic products or to join the Organic Trade Association.
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