Heathy has become the wonderful trend. All over social media you’ll see pages dedicated to working out and eating well so that almost anyone can be healthy easily. The key phrase here is “almost anyone.” If you are living in a middle class or higher residential area, you have access to fresh and organic food. While lack of fresh produce can contribute to neighborhoods with increased health risks, there’s another idea to be pondered: how safe is organic food?

Most consumers believe that organic food is healthier for the body and the environment. Organic food does not contain synthetic pesticide, genetic modifications or hormones. This is a major driving force of the transition from conventional to organic foods. This is sort of a misconception, however. Organic farmers are allowed to use pesticides as long as it comes from a natural source. While this is overall a healthier alternative, there are still some natural pesticides that are incredibly toxic, a prime example being Rotenone, which has been linked to Parkinson’s in rats, which pose a threat to humans. The use of Rotenone was previously banned, but now it is being allowed to being used on crops. Not to mention, according to Scientific American, natural pesticides like Rotenone failed the European Union’s safety evaluation which is required by the government. Organic farmers use the same amount of pesticide as conventional farmers, which is a lot since conventional farms are bigger than organic farms.

Organic farmers use much less land, which is eco-friendly, and also there is more labor used by farmers who produce organic crops than those who grow conventional crops. The higher price is paying for the higher cost of production and increasing labor work, even though organic farms are much smaller than their conventional counterparts. These higher prices are really hurting smaller farms, causing many to opt out of becoming certified. There is a lot of politics in becoming a certified organic farm, which can drown farmers in paperwork and fees. Also, in order to become certified, farms have to wait three years before they can pass certification and reap federal benefits. This three year waiting period is for farmers to utilize their time to become fully organic in practice. This is good for conventional farmers who want to make the transition, as well as larger farms that can afford it, but what about farms that are organic in practice but not in certification? The USDA needs to do a better job in accommodating smaller farms in transitioning, as well as modify regulations for farms who are only a legal certification away from being organic.

There are benefits to using organic food, but organic foods are not always better than conventional food. Considering the farm space alone, if America was to become predominantly organic, we would lose money in crops! Organic farms operate on a smaller scale than conventional farms. The cost to maintain a small organic farm is already pricey enough, but the cost of large organic farms in labor and maintenance would make organic food too expensive. It would really become a luxury. Organic farms use manure, while conventional farms can use artificial fertilizers. Organic farms are at a higher risk of containing E. coli and Salmonella since these pathogens travel through fecal contamination. Also, some of the pesticides used in conventional farming are better controls for microbial pests than organic pesticides. However, there is an ecological advantage to having smaller farms, especially for the animals. Smaller farms can take better care of animals, and there is less waste used overall by smaller farms. I believe it is the job of consumers to be educated on the food they put into their bodies.