The Halo Around "Organic Food" is BS

Rebuttal BS is fertilizer for organic crops What is wrong with fertilizer for organic crops? The source seems to support organic consumption rather than against it. I urge Pro to explain his positions. Nutritional value As mentioned previously, the results are inconclusive. Reports are rolling out each day to either support or against the contention that organic food is richer in nutritional values. By utilizing the same method of criticism employed by Pro, I could claim that those organic food deniers "cherry pick" the results that happen to agree with them. The main difficulty of making conclusive argument lies beneath the fact that human health conditions are, by no means, influenced by the food they consume alone. There is a range of factors such as various environmental, occupational, genetic factors could potentially inferring with the results. My solution to the problem is that each of us cite a scientific report and then we can cross-exam it. By doing so, we can avoid getting in to a source debate. Link should be posted in the "Comment" section in advance. Pesticides "The amount of synthetic pesticides...in food than what pesticides deliver." The paper that Pro relied on was published in last century (in 1990). Paper can be found at http://www.pnas.org.... In other word, it is too old. More recent report is preferable, if possible. "You said that the naturally occurring "pesticides" are better for people" No, I did not. My position is that man-made pesticides are harmful, so the fewer, the better. I did not compare man-made pesticides to naturally occurring pesticides. I never stressed the point that naturally occurring pesticides are safe or safer. It is not surprised that some plants produce more toxic substance than man-made pesticides. Cyanides, for example, are found in certain seeds and fruit stones. P.S. Cyanide is highly toxic. "Quote: The conventionally grown plums contained 38 percent more of the potentially beneficial polyphenol compounds than the organically grown ones did." I did some source check and the original study can be found at http://spot.colorado.edu... On page 44 (the only place that shows 38 percent), author states that: "For the organic and conventional fruit under tilled soil management, total polyphenol content was significantly higher (+38%) in conventional compared with organic plums, but results with respect to individual phenolic acids and flavonols varied greatly." The author does not stress that total beneficial polyphenol content is significantly higher since not all polyphenol is considered healthy to humans. Pro may misrepresent the information and his contentions therefore should be rejected. Farmer Study Since Pro did not provide the link of the cited study, I made attempt to retrieve the report myself. I find one report titled "Focus on Health: The Agricultural Health Study in North Carolina at http://www.ncagr.gov...; Under "Health Issue" on page 2, author unequivocally states "Earlier studies of other rural communities indicated there may, however, be a higher incidence of certain type of cancers. For example, people living and working in the agricultural community may have a higher incidence of cancer of the skin and lip, brain, stomach, connective issue, and non-Hodgkin"s lymphoma and leukemia. Another report, published in 2006 [1] also stress the point that "although the nearly 90,000 AHS participants are generally healthier than the average person in North Carolina and Iowa, they are often at increased risk for certain diseases and injuries." Furthermore, author suggests that "Pesticides, although useful in protecting agricultural crops, may have harmful effects when farmers come in contact with them." Moreover, in nowhere has report suggested that pesticides are safe to the farmers, and the conclusion in the report does not even remotely echo the assertion that "Being in such close proximity to the pesticides caused no increase in the percent of cancer." Report simply does not support Pro"s contentions. "Historically, most food-related disease...wrong tree" It is not entirely clear to me what constitutes "food-related diseases." Are food-related diseases identical to food poisoning? Do food-related diseases have to be acute or can be chronic? Cancer, for example, is not classified as "acute" disease in general and dietary certainly contributes to the development of cancer. Does cancer belong to this "food-related disease?" I urge Pro to explain his position in details. "Also, due to much pressure...were 20 years ago." The regulation is next to nonexistence about 20 years ago, therefore it is not surprised that today"s regulations are significantly safer. The main concern about the food safety is the amount of pesticides residuals. As mentioned in my argument, in the case of pregnant women and fetuses, even low-level pesticides exposure would severely affect their well-beings. The amount of pesticides residuals may perhaps be safe for consumption, but they can still be harmful. The fewer, the better, particularly in the case of pesticides consumptions. Others Hormones in milk is the same in organic or normal Milk may be an atypical case and not representative. Pro attempted to use a single case to invalid a general claim. The debate is about Organic food in general, not milk in particular. Besides, what does Hormones have to do with Organic food or Conventional food anyway? They taste the same Response: Many people report otherwise. [1] 1 cup of coffee > 1 year"s worth of synthetic pesticide It is irrelevant. We are comparing organic food and conventional food. We are not interested in what is in a cup of coffee. Conclusion. Pro misrepresented or misinterpreted the results of cited studies. Moreover, Pro distorted my argument in an attempt to discredit it. In addition, some of Pro"s contentions are made with no substantial evidence. In the case of Nutritional Value, I recommend that each of us presents a valid study and do the cross examinations. I also urge Pro to back his position up with more information. Thank you. [1]. http://aghealth.nci.nih.gov... [2]. http://www.organic.org...