Comments on: Organic vs. Conventional Produce Smack Down! (Poll)

By: Darya Pino

Darya Pino — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:03:32 +0000

Thanks for chiming in. It’s true, nothing is sadder than a tomato blight

By: matthew

matthew — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:55:29 +0000

I totally agree that nutrition shouldn’t be the singular focus of the organics argument. Organic agriculture is just as much about minimizing the impacts of pesticides and fertilizers on human health and the environment, reducing the amount of fossil fuel that goes into producing each calorie of food, and buffering small farmers from over-dependence on corporate commodities markets.

p.s. Just discovered your blog; great stuff! Sadly, its summer of no tomatoes here in Vermont — awful blight this year

By: Darya Pino

Darya Pino — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:02:19 +0000

Thanks for the Aussie info! Always interesting to hear how things are done elsewhere. Glad to hear you’ve found a way to cut way down on industrial foods.

By: dragonfly

dragonfly — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:04:33 +0000

What Lauren said about organic food being expensive in Australia. I am a student, and get my produce from a farmers market or green grocers where possible. The green grocers stock only farm fresh from mostly no pesticide outfits and I get organic if it is the same price which it is sometimes. I still wash it, but it still makes sense economically not to buy “industrial” because it is fresher than supermarket stuff. Other stuff is the same price for organic, I get my legumes and pulses (a huge staple for me) from the local wholefood place in bulk, and that is only available in organic, but the supermarket stocks 2 types of lentils if you are lucky and usually no beans except for those in a can so I don’t bother looking there anymore.
I got hugely turned off industrial when a friend who has Crohn’s told me about 5 years ago about the difference in her symptoms just by swapping supermarket produce for farmers market produce. Love your site btw.

By: Matt Shook

Matt Shook — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 05:18:53 +0000

It’s a landslide…organic produce FTW!

By: Lauren

Lauren — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:09:12 +0000

In Australia, almost all organic food comes with a hefty price tag; this can be up to twice as much as the conventional produce equivalent. Unfortunately the majority of Australia’s population cannot afford to buy organic produce as part of their everyday living, including myself. Being a Dietetics student, I desire fresh produce all the time. Unfortunately the price tag is the difference between me eating conventional fresh produce every day or organic fresh produce only 1/2 the time, so in most cases I will choose conventional produce.

I believe there is more benefit in eating fresh produce 100% of the time rather than only 50% of the time, regardless of whether it is organic or not.

By: Diane, Fit to the Finish

Diane, Fit to the Finish — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:01:35 +0000

I always question these kinds of studies. For me personally, when I can get it I purchase organic. Not only for the nutrient value, but also for the way it is grown and harvested.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:53:51 +0000

IMHO this isn’t an argument about organic or non-organic, its about responsible agriculture, hiding behind the facade of the organic issue. Industrial food cares only about how big their profit margin is, and obviously the bigger the better, no matter what the casualties are; Organic growers also care about their bottom-line, but they also usually have a ‘philosophy’ or mission-statement, and a commitment to sustainability. This is the difference that really makes buying anything from the industrial food chain downright barbaric and irresponsible. Its time for us real-live humans that care about our future and our quality of life to vote with our spoons and forks and to FIGHT BACK!!!!!!

By: South Beach Steve

South Beach Steve — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:30:50 +0000

While I firmly believe that organic is better, I am more convinced that locally grown is better than store bought, organic or not. Much of what we get at the grocery was picked prior to being ripe, and has been gassed or otherwise manipulated to make it edible. Of course, something picked out of your own garden is better than something just grown locally, but that isn’t always possible.

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:02:15 +0000

it’s propaganda but it’s also true. it’s propaganda because the big companies are putting so much effort into making everyone believe there isn’t any nutritional difference, which there isn’t much. but everyone needs to see the bigger picture that these big companies need to stop using pesticides all together. it’s not all about the nutritional info.