When Did “Organic” Become So “Strange”?
What has happened over the last 50 to 100 years that has led us to this point where we need to label natural, sustainable food that hasn’t been treated with dangerous chemicals and pesticides and such as organic?
Shouldn’t that be the way we expect our food to be unless stated otherwise? It’s really amazing to think about what has happened to present day agriculture and our food supply.
Why and who has allowed this to happen and what can we do about it?
First of all, let’s take a step back for a moment and reflect…reflect on the fact that 150 years ago there weren’t big companies out there that controlled our food supply. There were farmers who produced good quality crops that our ancestors ate without worry about any effects from dangerous chemicals, pesticides or genetically modified foods.
Now, we have lost touch with our food supply, our land, nature and the true meaning of farming that we have to label food that isn’t “conventional” as “organic.” Conventional farming may include the use of pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and growth hormones, all of which are dangerous to our well-being.
Just our common sense should tell us that ingesting synthetic chemicals used to kill bugs and weeds can’t be good for us. Do you have some type of ant or roach killer in your household? Would you spray it on your food and then eat it? I know, it might seem like an extreme example, but doesn’t it make you think for a minute?
We should all stop and think for a minute.
Why is something like organic farming, which is the way farming was done for centuries all of a sudden something out of the ordinary and different? Why have we allowed our food supply to become so corrupt?
Shouldn’t our food say “pesticide laden” apples instead of having to point out that they are “organic” apples for example. Or our meat and poultry…shouldn’t our meat say “treated with antibiotics and growth hormones and not allowed to graze” instead of “antibiotic free” , “free range”, “organic” or any other similar label.
I guess I’m just wondering if we are holding the right people accountable. We have allowed things to get so out of control that now if you want to be a “certified organic” farmer, it costs you more money and time to go through the process, which almost seems like they are being punished! Additionally conventional farming methods produce more crops for less money, which might sound good, but at what cost to our health and our planet?
So how can organic farmers compete?
Well, for starters, they can compete when we, the general public, begin to educate ourselves and take a little time to understand what we are putting in our bodies. They can compete when we choose organic products over conventional ones. Business is always about supply and demand, so let’s make the right decisions and when there is more demand for organic products, we will start to see more and more of them.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. However, please don’t leave comments like “Organic food is expensive” because to me, there is nothing constructive about that. I will agree that overall it tends to be more expensive…but so are 60″ TVs and going out for coffee everyday, which most of us don’t bat an eyelash at.
I think we all have to make decisions as to what our priorities are and what sacrifices we are willing to make.
Maybe one day things will be the way I believe they should be and products that are not “organic” will have to be labeled as such and organic products will just be the “norm”.
Until then, it’s our job to become advocates for ourselves and become educated about the food we are eating.
I wish you all nothing but good health and well-being 
