Why Organic Food is Overrated
via Organic Is Overrated | Hoover Institution.
The critics of genetic engineering in agriculture—also known as “genetic modification” (GM) or gene-splicing—for decades have relied upon and promulgated The Big Lie: that food from genetically engineered crops is untested, unsafe, unwanted, and unneeded. All of these assertions, made by radical anti-technology organizations such as the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Environmental Defense, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Center for Food Safety, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Greenpeace are demonstrably false.
The benefits of genetically engineered crops are proven. According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, from 1996 to 2010, the use of modern genetic engineering technology increased crop production and value by $78 billion; it obviated the need to apply of 443 million kg of pesticide active ingredients to crops; in 2010 alone, it reduced CO2 emissions by 19 billion kg, the equivalent of taking approximately 9 million cars off the road; it conserved biodiversity by saving 91 million hectares of land; and it helped alleviate poverty by increasing the agricultural productivity and food security of 15 million small farmers who are some of the poorest people in the world.
And it eliminated the need for environut groups to file lawsuits paid for by the taxpayers win or lose.
As soon as this issue is resolved, they’ll find another cause to justify their lawsuit industry.
If Organic Chemistry is Carbon-based Chemistry, I presume “Organic” food is Carbon-based food.
Which leads me to speculate that most food people eat is actually Silicon-based.
I don’t make it up.
I’m sure I’m just a clueless Philistine, but I haven’t noticed higher quality, better tasting food whenever someone gave me something “organic” – but I have noted the higher price whenever I’m in the grocery store.
If someone wants to spend all that money on organic food, it’s a free country. As for me, I’m unconvinced of its health benefits, absolutely certain it doesn’t taste any better, and unwilling to voluntarily raise my grocery bill any higher than it already is.
But thanks for pointing out all the benefits of genetic engineering. Mankind has been engineering the food supply for centuries, just not with the tech-savvy efficiency of today. It’s almost as if lefties don’t care if some people starve so long as they can control what we buy somewhere down the reoad.
But but but… it’s only OTHER people who would starve, not THEM, if those evil “Frankenfoods” are banned!
The whole “organic” and “local” BS is a class marker: “I can afford to pay more for onions, so I will”.
“Buy local” isn’t BS. Well, not for me, anyway. I live in Lancaster County, PA…plenty of farms around here. In many cases, it’s actually cheaper for me to buy local.
Very similar here in the other side of the state. Not quite as many of the roadside stands from the various local farms as there used to be, but could still probably find half a dozen within 10 miles or so.
Can’t beat the sweet corn or the tomatoes in price or quality.
The people who hate genetically modified foods want to see a “sustainable” population as low as 500 million.
They don’t really care how they get to that figure, including forcing a false Malthusian Apocalypse on the world, and watching 90% of the population starve.
not only is it overrated but it takes the ham fisted dimwitted bumblers running california to put the final nail in the coffin by allowing the delta smelt to keep america from getting the best fruit and produce our country can farm– it’s either organic (dodgy at best) or imported from mexico grocery store fruit and produce–
before the smelt was rescued one could go to a typical grocery store and get very high quality products on the cheap and all grown in state in the central valley– otherwise known as “local ingredients”– the same kind all the hoighty toighty foodies genuflect for
now– most of the produce and fruits are imported from south of the border
hell, i couldn’t even get garlic here in california last winter (and we are home to the gilroy festival ffs) and it was imported from china– imported garlic from china wtf
over half the “organic” crap you see is wilted and overpriced
one’s best bet is to go to the asian markets (if you’re lucky) where it is the freshest and cheapest
I eat only organic food. The inorganic stuff breaks my teeth.
Try being allergic to corn syrup… It might be more expensive, but I can be reasonably sure I won’t find some variant on the stuff buried in something labeled organic.
Organic meats are healthier.
Especially those you shoot yourself.
There is not a shred of scientific evidence documenting increased health benefit from organic food. The only benefit is the transfer of excess cash from the gullible buyer to the smarter seller.
The placebo effect is very strong. It is even stronger when the subject has to make some extra effort or spend extra money for the supposed benefit.
From the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:
http://www.ajcn.org/content/92/1/203.full?sid=6e79b1b4-423e-49e2-bd00-bc91d8b1d8d8
What we do know for sure is that all of those yucky things like pesticides and modified crops have saved billions of human lives.