organic vs non organic

1. Organic vs Conventional Farming
from my point of view…
#1 – Food Safety
• Both conventional and organic foods are safe for
consumption and meet the same quality and safety
standards outlined by the FDA and USDA.
• Some consumers perceive that organic foods follow more
rigorous safety standards.
Background Information: The term, “food safety” describes the handling,
preparation, and storage of food that prevents food-borne illness.

2. Organic vs Conventional Farming
from my point of view…
#2 – Nutrition
• Organic and conventionally-produced foods contain the
same nutrients. For example, the Nutrition Facts label for
an organic apple would be identical to the Nutrition Facts
label for a conventionally produced apple.
• Some consumers perceive that organic foods are more
nutritious.
Background Information: When evaluating the nutritional value of a food
the elements of consideration include measuring vitamins, minerals, calories,
fat, etc.

3. Organic vs Conventional Farming
from my point of view…
#3 – Efficiency
• Overall yields on organic farms are lower than that of
comparable conventional farms.
• The causes for lower yields on organic farms vary, but
include:
• Lower soil nutrient availability.
• Higher incidence of disease.
• More damage and loss from pests.
Background Information: Efficiency is the ratio of output compared to the
input. On a wheat farm, efficiency can be measured by the bushels of wheat
that are harvested per acre. If the acreage stays the same, but the bushels of
wheat increases due to a change in seed variety, weed control, or irrigation,
efficiency increases. Limits on soil nutrients (fertilizer), pesticides, and seed
varieties may also limit the efficiency of organic farms.

4. Organic vs Conventional Farming
from my point of view…
#4 – Environment
• It is best for the environment to farm as efficiently as
possible. Conventional farming is more efficient.
• Fertilizers used to supplement soil nutrients have a high
carbon footprint. Organic farms cannot use synthetic
fertilizers.
• Specific farming practices such as no-till farming decrease
carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.
However, these practices are used in both organic and
conventional-style farming.
Background Information: Evaluating the overall environmental impact of
organic agriculture vs conventional agriculture is difficult to quantify and
research is still in progress.

5. Organic vs Conventional Farming
from my point of view…
#5 – Cost
• Most organic food costs more than its conventional
counterpart.
Background Information: Higher prices for organic foods are due to more
expensive farming practices. Farms certified as organic follow different
regulations which can cost the farmer more.

6. Organic vs Conventional Farming
from my point of view…
#6 – Pesticides
• Both conventional and organic farms can use pesticides to
control weeds and unwanted pests in their crops. Organic
farms have fewer options for pesticides than conventional
farms.
• All pesticides are controlled by the EPA (Environmental
Protection Agency) and undergo scientific evaluation to
ensure that when used as directed, they don’t harm
people, non-target species, or the environment.
Background Information: The word pesticide is a blanket term used for a
substance that destroys harmful or unwanted organisms (such as weeds and
insects). Specifically, a pesticide kills pests and herbicides kill unwanted plants
(weeds). Both weeds and pests damage and destroy crops, decreasing the
quality and yield of a harvested crop.