best organics

[handmade34]

"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]

1. Potatoes? That's a surprise. n/t

[handmade34]

3. I don't eat potatoes so I don't think much about them theses days...

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]

2. What is it about organic that makes it so expensive?

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]

4. supply and demand

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]

5. People don't use pesticides because they enjoy wasting money.

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. nitrogen from organic sources is more expensive

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]

7. Organic growing is more labor intensive

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]

9. ahhh, memories!

[BlueIris]

8. Thanks!

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]

10. the full list...

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list/

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]

11. Note the shell

Note that the dirty ones are produce where you eat the outer layer. Not so much with the others.