We have all seen the organic produce section at the grocery store and noticed the spike in organic produce prices. Many may be under the impression that it is because organic produce is better for people. However, it is really just a marketing tactic used to increase prices on everyday produce.
The whole point of organic produce is that it is not grown with any pesticides and in some cases human modification (GMO, hybrid produce, etc.) This marketing tactic does not outwardly say that these pesticides or human modifications are harmful to one’s health. Yet, it does not directly say that these pesticides or human modifications are safe for consumption either. This allows consumers to come to their own conclusions, which can be swayed due to the existence of organic products. This is usually due to people’s mentality when it comes to “alternative” products, they believe that if there is another option that advertises its variations to the original product it must be better. However, in the farming industry, it is known that organic produce does not change any portion of the nutritional value. The University of California, Davis has the number one ranked agriculture and forestry college, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, which specifically notes, “Organic foods are not healthier, per se, in terms of nutrients. You are still getting the same benefits in conventionally grown foods as you are in organic foods” (Good Food Is Medicine).
The difference between organic and non-organic produce is that organic produce is grown without using most chemical pesticides and is not genetically modified. This means that there has been no chemical interference done to the plant. Regardless, the pesticides and GMOs are all standardized by the USDA and the Department of Health and have not been found to have any detrimental side effects. For the most part, the organic sticker is used to bring in more profit to the producers. The organic certification is also a very intense process for producers but because of the prospect of financial gain people have started to try and scam their way into getting organic profits for non-organic produce. For example, Modern Farmer, a news website that deals with everything farming and ranching related, recounts a large case of organic fraud, “From 2014 to 2021, Minnesota farmer James Wolf raised organic soybeans, corn and wheat, selling the grains to farmers across the midwest, both for seed and animal feed. Selling organic grain allowed Wolf to make more money than selling conventional grain—a lot more money. He purchased two Chevy convertibles and a vacation home in sunny Arizona with a portion of the $46 million he earned. Last year (2022), Wolf was indicted by the US Attorney’s office for organic fraud. The state claims that the “organic” seed Wolf was selling was not, in fact, organic. In May, Wolf pleaded guilty to the charges” (Cadloff). This is only one of the multitude of fraudulent organic cases that occur in the US, and it can be large like Wolf’s or on a smaller scale.
Being fraudulent with organic produce is not always intentional, though. People can buy seeds and grow them without pesticides and GMOs and that would be considered organic if they have a certification, but many small-scale farmers don’t because it’s not worth it. So, if that small-scale farmer were to sell that produce under the organic label at a free-for-all farmers market that would technically be considered organic fraud. This is one of the major problems with the organic label and farming itself; because an organic tomato and non-organic tomato don’t look any different, how do people really know it’s legitimate unless they meticulously test for chemicals on that tomato? The answer is many people don’t because they just trust the label on the bag or sticker and pay on average 21% more for those tomatoes than the ones on a display counter to the left.
So while the idea of organic itself is not inherently bad it is the way that it is currently being regulated and marketed that proves that organic is for the most part a scam. The possibilities of fraud and the lack of public education and knowledge contribute heavily to why organic food can be considered a scam. So why pay the extra 21% on average for a gamble?
Cited Sources
Cadloff, Emily Baron. “Can You Trust the Organic Food Label? – Modern Farmer.” Modern Farmer, 18 Oct. 2023, modernfarmer.com/2023/10/can-you-trust-organic-label/#:~:text=%E2%80%9COrganic%E2%80%9D%20food%20is%20specifically%20certified,occurs%20within%20the%20organic%20system.
Good Food Is Good Medicine. “Are Organic Foods Really Healthier? Two Pediatricians Break It Down.” good-food, 14 Feb. 2024, health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/are-organic-foods-really-healthier-two-pediatricians-break-it-down/2019/04#:~:text=Overall%2C%20is%20it%20better%20to,between%20organic%20and%20conventional%20milk.