Organic and Conventional Food Differences | The Certified Organic Seal – Part 2

Organic and Conventional Food Differences & the Certified Organic Seal – Part 2

In the last section there were some really important topics covered. As a recap, let’s see what differences there are so far between organic and conventional food.

  • Genetic Modification – In most countries (including the U.S.), the use of genetic modification is not allowed with organic food. Conventional food is often genetically modified.
  • Pesticide Exposure – Organic produce must be grown without the use of synthetic pesticides. The pesticide residue level can’t be higher than 5% of the maximum EPA pesticide tolerance.
  • Use of Synthetic Fertilizers – Organic crops must be grown without the use of petroleum-based fertilizers or sewage sludge-based fertilizers.
  • Use of Synthetic Growth Hormones in Livestock – “Organic” livestock can’t be given growth hormones. “Conventional” livestock ARE given growth hormones.
  • Use of Antibiotics in Livestock – “Organic” livestock can’t be given antibiotics. “Conventional” livestock ARE fed antibiotics.
  • Livestock Care – “Organic” livestock must have access to the outdoors, whereas the majority of livestock suffer in factory farms. Watch the move Food Inc.
  • Allowance of Food Irradiation – Organic products can’t be irradiated. Non-organicl products CAN.
  • Use of Preservatives & Flavor Enhancers – Organic products will not contain preservatives or flavor enhancing chemicals. Non-organic products CAN contain these.
  • Heavy Metals & Contaminants – Organic products can’t contain traces of heavy metals or other contaminants that exceed FDA approved levels. See the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances under the USDA organic label here. Non-organic products may contain greater amounts of these substances.

So now lets move forward with this awesome information. Next on the list is animals and their lives in factory farms.

Animals Raised Organically Don’t Live in Factory Farms

Factory farms are confinement camps where large amounts of animals are raised. These animals are raised with little care and are subject to extremely unhealthy environments. Also known as Confined/Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), factory farms were created to maximize profits and minimize output, even if it means partaking in animal cruelty and massive pollution.

Factory farms make sense, when you look at it strictly from a money-making standpoint.

A huge number of animals (dealing with many “products” at once instead of a few”)

living in a very small space (less land needed equals less money spent)

while fed cheap, genetically modified grain (less expensive than letting them roam around eating grass and fattens them up for slaughter at a faster rate)

given antibiotics and growth hormones (focusing on growth so they can reach slaughtering-weight quickly – antibiotics so the animals don’t get sick)

in a dark, gloomy factory (minimal animal care and treatment, less worry from a money-making standpoint).

But is it really worth it? Are the profits really worth torturing animals unnecessarily or contributing heavily to pollution. Are they really worth completely ruining the quality of the meat and contributing to disease in those that consume it? We say NO.

 

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