Organic vs. Conventional In Fruits & Vegetables

1. Organic vs. ConventionalIn Fruits & Vegetables Fatima Lazim HW220 Kaplan University

2. Is it that easy to chose? • Should I buy organic? Should I buy none organic? • It is easy to decide once we collect all the facts.

3. Facts • Organic in agriculture refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010)

4. Facts • There is no evidence to support that organic food is more nutritious or beneficial. • Organic food slightly more expensive than conventional food. • Organic food was not treated with chemical pesticides. • Conventional food was treated with chemical and has been waxed to extend its expiration date.

5. A comparison of pricesorganic vs. conventional

6. How the products were labeled • Earth Bound: All Earthbound Farm produce carries the USDA Organic Seal, which guarantees that it’s certified organic by an independent agency — in this case, the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), accredited by the USDA National Organic Program. • Red Delicious Apple: It was labeled “Organically grown” meaning it was grown and processed using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. • River Pride: Those carried the USDA seal as well.

7. Was it easy to find organic food? • In NYC and where I live in Brooklyn, it is surprisingly easy to find organic food. • The organic food is usually stocked side by side with the conventional food. • If my supermarket –Food Town- run out of organic food, we have a Trader Joe near by, as well as a Fresh Market Farmer every Saturday.

8. How organic food was labeled? There were three distinguishable labeling; • 100 percent organic. Products that are completely organic or made of all organic ingredients. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010) • Organic. Products that are at least 95 percent organic; those usually carry the USDA seal. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010) • Made with organic ingredients. These are products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The organic seal can't be used on these packages. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010)

9. What are the reasons for not finding organic food in my supermarket? In general there is always the organic alternatives in my super market, yet sometimes they don’t due to: • They run out of the products. • The products get spoiled faster and got rid of due to no preservative or wax used. • Holidays when they don’t usually get a delivery because they get an organic delivery every other day to avoid the spoil of the fruits and vegetables.

10. Why the price difference? There are few factors that make organic food more expensive; they are: • Higher prices are due to more expensive farming practices (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010) • Tighter government regulations and lower crop yields (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010) • Because organic farmers don't use herbicides or pesticides, many management tools that control weeds and pests are labor intensive (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010) • Organic food usually delivered more often than conventional due to the fact of not using preservatives or wax, so the cost of delivery is added to the total price as well.

11. Is it worth it? • In general, any consumer should not assume that being organic makes it a good deal. • The point is to shop fresh. • Peel the skin of the conventional products to avoid pesticides residue. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010) • I know organic is more expensive, but try to look for good sales to reduce the cost. • My best advice is to balance both organic and conventional food in the same budget. • Buy in season to avoid buying GMOs (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010) • Read the labels carefully (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010)

12. References Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010, January 16). Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious? Retrieved January 16, 2009, from Mayoclinic.com Web site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255