Health
Related: About this forumbest organics
"Avoiding the pesticides sprayed onto non-organic produce is a good next step. But when you can't buy all organic fruits and veggies all the time, how do you get the greatest benefit from your organic dollar? By shopping with the Environmental Working Group (EWG) "Pocket Guide to Pesticides," which lists "The Dirty Dozen" and "The Clean Fifteen."
http://www.stonyfield.com/why-organic/12-best-fruits-and-veggies-buy-organic?
Ian David
(69,059 posts)handmade34
(22,753 posts)though years ago I worked on a large organic root crop farm and I was aware of massive use of chemicals on the surrounding "conventional" farms... MSU AG Students did a lot of research on the farm where I worked... awesome results... empirical proof that organic is best!
Pesticides in spuds:
There sure are a lot of pesticides used in the cultivation of non-organic
potatoes. 2,4-D is the tip of the iceberg A good database on the pesticide
use specifics by state is the USDA NASS Ag Chem Usage Field Crops survey.
You can find it on the Cornell Univ Gopher at:
gopher://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu:00/reports/nassr/other/pcu-bb/agricultural_chemical_usage_field_crops_03.25.96
The USDA PDP:
2,4-D on 4.3% of the samples tested for that compound.
Chloropropham 66% (The most commonly detected pesticide on potatoes)
DDT was found on 3.8% of samples
DDE 9.5% of samples
Dieldrin 11.1% of samples
Endosulfans 12.1% of samples
Thiabendazole 23.8%
o-Phenylphenol 3.9%
Phorate metabolites on 4.3%
.......
progress2k12nbynd
(221 posts)My initial reaction would be that saving money on pesticides would make a product cheaper. At my Hy-Vee, at least from appearances, it appears that the people that are buying organic are those who can barely even afford the less-expensive non-organic food.
handmade34
(22,753 posts)is one reason for pricing... economy of scale is another... sometimes it is just exploitation
Organic farms still have considerable expense for fertilizer, organic pesticides and they are often labor intensive
I will spend more, if I have to, on organic, and eat less if need be...
Ian David
(69,059 posts)They use pesticides because they can produce higher yields per acre on large, factory farms.
Every dollar a factory farm spends on pesticides is to yield a return on their investment.
Tumbulu
(6,267 posts)by a long shot. Synthetic petrochemically derived nitrogen used to be really cheap, now it is rising in cost, but still far cheaper than the organic forms.
Synthetic nitrogen allows the crops to grow much larger than those raised on organically derived nitrogen. Pests and disease causing microorganisms thrive on these pumped up crops- causing increases in pest infestations and creating a greater need for pest management practices (ie pesticides).....the viscous circle begins.
When one uses natural organic forms of nitrogen and other necessary nutrients one gets lower yields of higher quality product that generally has had lower pest and disease pressure.
Warpy
(110,746 posts)as natural fertilizers must be procured and used and weeds kept down non chemically.
However, these things tend to build up the soil instead of deplete it and after a few years of steady organic method farming, yields tend to go up and can outstrip nearby chemically farmed produce.
I gardened organically and wouldn't trade the memory of my cats when I put fish emulsion around the plants for anything.
handmade34
(22,753 posts)BlueIris
(29,135 posts)That's about what I thought (haven't checked in a while.)
Where do bananas fall? Bananas are the fruit I eat most frequently. Almost always do organic, but would like to know if they are pesticide ridden or not.
handmade34
(22,753 posts)Bananas come in 30th... not the worst; 'bout in the middle
pdf to copy...
http://static.ewg.org/reports/2011/foodnews/pdf/2011EWGPesticideGuide.pdf
Indiana
(34 posts)Note that the dirty ones are produce where you eat the outer layer. Not so much with the others.