So I eat non pesticide produce cause I don't want pesticides in me. Duh. Intuitively makes sense. But from what I've heard and read there's no evidence of long term health issues with ingesting trace amounts of pesticides. The oxidative damage done by breathing O2 probably is way more carcinogenic. Anyways, some proponents of eating pesticide free produce claim that the main beneficiaries of this practice are the workers that pick the food. They are the ones who get the large exposures of pesticides which more likely will cause them health issues. So you pay more for organic food really for the benefit of the migrant workers. True or no?
I don't go to any great lengths to avoid pesticides in my food but admire (a little) those that do. I do prefer organic when it's convenient enough. On the O2 comparison to pesticides, breathing O2 has proven benefits for humans, while consuming pesticides doesn't. I had never considered the benefit to the farm workers but that is a valid point, thanks for bringing it up. I do consider that buying organic food sends more business to small scale and independent farmers instead of large scale agribusiness and I prefer farmers markets, pesticide free produce or not.
I do not use pesticides or herbicides around our crops. I do not see how organic crops could be selfish.
Haha. This is true. The pesticides could be argued that it enables farming to produce more and feed more people. Or it could be just used for more profit. Or maybe the CEOs of Dow chemicals and Monsanto are country club buddies trying to help each other out.
(Humor) Don't overlook the big picture. If the pests consumed all the food, then there would be no food for humans. There is some benefit of "consuming pesticides". That said, I never believe statements like "...no evidence of long term health issues with ingesting trace amounts of pesticides.". For someone, somewhere there are issues. Oftentimes, the reason for no evidence is "no studies". Your fundamental point is very correct.
(More humor) Don't use pesticides, eat the pesticide free pests. They have more protein than the veggies and fewer pesticides than pesticide sprayed veggies.
I don't really think it matters in the big scheme of things. I try to get veggies and I do get milk and eggs from local small farms. The meat? Eh.... Mixed bag. I also occasionally eat out, so I'm sure that I'm getting my recommended minimum daily allowance of pesticides. I do these things for a VERY selfish reason. I generally like the food better. I'm just starting to tinker with home canning, so that I can extend the shelf life of my food without having to run a freezer. If I had to live in an urban area, I suppose I would buy some of my grub at some place like a Whole Foods (there's actually one about 80 miles from here... ) but probably for the same reasons. I'll leave the "organic: truth or fallacy" argument to the folks in the head shed. If it’s really organic….it personally doubt that it really makes a difference, but hey…..somebody has to pay the folks that work at the Whole Foods…
There is no evidence that pests could consume all the food. In fact, well produced food (see Elliot Coleman for examples) has fewer pest problems then most foods that are sprayed with pesticides. So the whole thing is a false dichotomy. The real question is more well produced food, or less pesticide ridden crops?[/quote]
My household hits the farmer's market at least once or twice week. I used to ask if they used pesticides or not, now I don't bother, I just wash it.
There was a reason for labeling the point humor. Your point is well taken. Quite a few methods exist for controlling pest without needing to douse plants with anything. Now if locusts were still around in force, then they would probably give plenty of evidence of consuming everything in the path, but thankfully, it looks like cattle herds took care of that.
I see. Most things I do in life, I do for me. Producing food that is pesticide-free, is one of these things that I do for me. Even though I only eat some of our food and market the rest of it. Our customers buy that food and consume it, so it might be seen as doing it for the customers. But since they pay me for that food, then really the benefit comes back to me. So in the end, producing pesticide-free food, even for market, is still selfish motivated. When I retired, I moved to an area that has a growing sub-culture of organic. Here the many of Farmer's Markets are organic only, and those that allow non-organic are still mostly organic [even if not certified]. I agree. Signed: retired submariner turned organic farmer
