No Need To Be Afraid, Don't Be Petrified, But You Should Know That Organic Foods Still Use Pesticides: Part 2

We are back at it again with part 2, discussing what the term organic means in the context of farming, produce, and consumer products.

This week, after a recap, we continue our discussion, first focusing on environmental impact, and elaborate on a few fallacies that circulate with regard to organic products.

Following that, we discuss the implications of hormones and antibiotics in rearing livestock in conventional farming, and debunk a few misconceptions with some data. We then discuss animal welfare on organic farms, a topic of great concern to many.
Finally, we wrap up with a discussion of “the dirty dozen” a list claiming to be the most pesticide-laden produce products each year, and why the data doesn’t support that claim.

PLEASE NOTE: The discussion and information provided in this podcast are for general educational, scientific, and informational purposes only and are not intended as, and should not be treated as, medical or other professional advice for any particular individual or individuals.  Every person and medical issue is different, and diagnosis and treatment requires consideration of specific facts often unique to the individual.  As such, the information contained in this podcast should not be used as a substitute for consultation with and/or treatment by a doctor or other medical professional.  If you are experiencing any medical issue or have any medical concern, you should consult with a doctor or other medical professional. 

Further, due to the inherent limitations of a podcast such as this as well as ongoing scientific developments, we do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information or analysis provided in this podcast, although, of course we always endeavor to provide comprehensive information and analysis. In no event may Unbiased Science or any of the participants in this podcast be held liable to the listener or anyone else for any decision allegedly made or action allegedly taken or not taken allegedly in reliance on the discussion or information in this podcast or for any damages allegedly resulting from such reliance.

RESOURCES

• 2010 PLoS ONE Study: Environmental Impact of Organic v. Synthetic Pesticides

• Soil Accreditation Poll: Why Consumers Purchase Organic Food

• EPA Pesticide Registration Process and Guidelines

• 2012 Scientific American: “Are Lower Pesticide Residues A Good Reason to Buy Organic? Probably Not.”

• Oxford Meta-Analysis on Environmental Impacts of Organic Farming

• Study in Journal of Agriculture and Human Values: Organic Factory Farming and Emissions

• 2018 Nature Study Assessing Organic v. Conventional Farming

• Antibiotics in Livestock and Poultry

• CDC Factsheet: Antibiotic Use in the Food Industry

• CDC Guidelines for Antibiotic Use in Livestock and Poultry

• USDA National Residue Testing Regulations

• FDA Statement and Information on Antimicrobial Resistance

• 2001 New England Journal of Medicine Study: Assessing Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Ground Meat Samples

• 2011 FDA Retail Meat Report

• 2005 Applied and Environmental Microbiology Study: Prevalence of Bacteria in Chicken Meat

• 2015 Journal of Food Protection: Enterococcus in Retail Chicken

• 2013 F1000 Study: Antibiotic-Resistant E. Coli in Retail Chicken

• FDA Regulations for Steroid Hormones in Approved Livestock

• FDA Regulations for BST/BGH in Cows

• NIH State of the Science: BGH

• FDA Review: Safety and Science of BGH

• 1997 Study in Pediatrics: Reporting Earlier Onset of Puberty in Children

• 2015 Journal of Nutrition: Study Investigating Milk and Meat Consumption Related to Onset of Menarche

• 2001 Study in Pediatrics: Apparent Link Between Increased BMI and Early Onset of Puberty

• ASPCA Survey: Disparities Between Consumer Perceptions and Reality of Welfare on Organic Farms

• ASPCA Factsheet: Farm Animal Welfare

• USDA Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP) Final Rule

• ASPCA Shop With Your Heart

• 2003 Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research: Link Between BST and Mastitis

• 2014 Journal of American Veterinary Association: No Link Between BST and Cow Health

• Dirty Dozen Overview

• USDA Pesticide Residues in Organic Produce Summary 2010-2011

• Dispelling Myths About the Environmental Working Group and the Dirty Dozen

Image from 2018 Nature Study