There are a number of reasons why many people prefer to buy organic food.

Many people are concerned about the effects of chemical residue in the food they eat. Organic food contains no nasty added chemicals, antibiotics (in the case of animal products), or genetically modified ingredients.

When something is 'Certified Organic' it means that no insectidies, herbicides or fungicides have been used in the production, harvest, storage or transportation of the product. Organic certification ensures that what you buy is actually organic. AQIS has 7 different bodies in Australia able to certify farms as organic.

Organic farming protects small-scale farmers health.

Buying organic helps keep our water clean, soil fertile, and it uses less energy.

Organic food doesn't have hidden costs. Although some people complain that organic food is more expensive, in reality it's not. It reflects the true price of food. Conventional food includes all kind of hidden costs that are paid by tax-payers like pesticide regulations and environmental damage. 

Organic food tastes better!

These are some of the more commonly seen certification labels in Australia:

The latest report by the US President's Cancer Panel states that environmental toxins, especially chemicals are the main causes of cancer and raises particular concern over the exposure levels for children.

The report that has just been published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute also stated that the current methods of testing and regulating chemicals such as pesticides are inadequate.

Very significantly, the report recommends that people consume food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers and growth hormones.

The report confirms the issues around chemicals that are continuously raised by the organic sector and the Organic Federation of Australia sincerely hopes that our regulators will start to listen and most importantly act to end our exposure to these toxins.

Most Chemicals have not Been Tested for Safety
'Only a few hundred of the more than 80,000 chemicals in use in the United States have been tested for safety.'

Pesticides Linked to Many Types of Cancers
'Nearly 1,400 pesticides have been registered (i.e., approved) by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for agricultural and non-agricultural use. Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to brain/central nervous system (CNS), breast, colon, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, kidney, testicular, and stomach cancers, as well as Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and soft tissue sarcoma. Pesticide-exposed farmers, pesticide applicators, crop duster pilots, and manufacturers also have been found to have elevated rates of prostate cancer, melanoma, other skin cancers, and cancer of the lip.

'Approximately 40 chemicals classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as known, probable, or possible human carcinogens, are used in EPA-registered pesticides now on the market.'

The report also found that:

Testing is Inadequate

Current Testing Fails to Accurately Represent Human Exposure to Harmful Chemicals

Testing Fails to Account for Harmful Effects of Low Doses

Testing Fails to Account for Combinations of Chemicals

Women Carry Higher Levels of Chemicals

Chemical Contaminants are Passed on to the Next Generation

Children also Exposed to Chemicals in Utero

Children are at Special Risk for Cancer Due to Environmental Contaminants

Children's Cancer Rates are Increasing

Leukemia Rates Higher for Children Exposed to Pesticides

Concern over Food Residues being too High

Regulation of Environmental Contaminants is Inadequate to Protect from Harm

Consume Food Grown Without Pesticides and Fertilisers

The report recommends that people consume food grown without pesticides, fertilisers and growth hormones.

Contrary to popular belief washing or peeling conventional produce only removes a percentage of the pesticides as they tend to be absorbed through the whole of the produce.

The most effective way to avoid pesticides is to eat organic food.

The full report can be found at
http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp/pcp.htm

For further information please visit www.ofa.org.au