4 ms·

It‘s not the same. If anything, organic produce and its labeling are regulated (at least in EU), magical cures for cancer are not.

by jhrmnn 7y ago

WA 7y ago
And usually, organic doesn’t mean that it is more healthy for the consumer. It just means it was produced according to some rules that protect the environment somewhat.
- afiori 7y ago
  Organic agriculture is in many ways a menace to the environment, pesticides are filtered not on environmental or health concerns but based on a natural/artificial scale. In practice worse pesticides and fertilizer imply that huge quantities are used still yielding less per square meter.
  - NeedMoreTea 7y ago
    Except the EU, and even more restrictive UK organic standard restricts both amount, number of applications, and requires an audit trail of why it was applied, so no it doesn't imply huge quantities. No idea if USDA permits unlimited use...
    - fact_factory 7y ago
      >No idea if USDA permits unlimited use... They do not, in fact it is a last resort. [0]https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=94361624bc8858349d7eae45799f2375&mc=true&node=se7.3.205_1206&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=94361624bc8858349d...
  - fact_factory 7y ago
    In practice, organic farms are required to use pesticides as a last resort, whereas conventional farms use as much pesticide as they feel is necessary routinely. Furthermore, pesticides that are approved for organic use are non-selective, meaning that they must be applied carefully or they will damage the crop. Modern conventional agriculture is dominated by selective herbicides that are used in volume, because the crops are resistant to their effects. This means that the amount of pesticide used by a conventional farming operation dwarfs that of an organic farm.
    - chicob 7y ago
      So do farmers engaged in Integrated Farming: only as a last resort, and if the economical threshold has been reached. The difference is that there are no restrictions regarding the use of 1) synthetic pesticides 2) man-made fertilizers, 3) GMOs and 4) antibiotics. So Integrated Farming is just like Organic Farming, but without the bullshit.
      - fact_factory 7y ago
        Not everyone wants synthetic pesticides or GMOs in their food.
- chicob 7y ago
  I agree, but I should say that the main concern is not what is better for the environment, but what is certifiably non-synthetic. A secular kosher, is how I'd put it.

It‘s not the same. If anything, organic produce and its labeling are regulated (at least in EU), magical cures for cancer are not.

by jhrmnn 7y ago

It‘s not the same. If anything, organic produce and its labeling are regulated (at least in EU), magical cures for cancer are not.

WA 7y ago

And usually, organic doesn’t mean that it is more healthy for the consumer. It just means it was produced according to some rules that protect the environment somewhat.

afiori 7y ago
Organic agriculture is in many ways a menace to the environment, pesticides are filtered not on environmental or health concerns but based on a natural/artificial scale. In practice worse pesticides and fertilizer imply that huge quantities are used still yielding less per square meter.
- NeedMoreTea 7y ago
  Except the EU, and even more restrictive UK organic standard restricts both amount, number of applications, and requires an audit trail of why it was applied, so no it doesn't imply huge quantities. No idea if USDA permits unlimited use...
  - fact_factory 7y ago
    >No idea if USDA permits unlimited use... They do not, in fact it is a last resort. [0]https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=94361624bc8858349d7eae45799f2375&mc=true&node=se7.3.205_1206&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=94361624bc8858349d...
- fact_factory 7y ago
  In practice, organic farms are required to use pesticides as a last resort, whereas conventional farms use as much pesticide as they feel is necessary routinely. Furthermore, pesticides that are approved for organic use are non-selective, meaning that they must be applied carefully or they will damage the crop. Modern conventional agriculture is dominated by selective herbicides that are used in volume, because the crops are resistant to their effects. This means that the amount of pesticide used by a conventional farming operation dwarfs that of an organic farm.
  - chicob 7y ago
    So do farmers engaged in Integrated Farming: only as a last resort, and if the economical threshold has been reached. The difference is that there are no restrictions regarding the use of 1) synthetic pesticides 2) man-made fertilizers, 3) GMOs and 4) antibiotics. So Integrated Farming is just like Organic Farming, but without the bullshit.
    - fact_factory 7y ago
      Not everyone wants synthetic pesticides or GMOs in their food.
chicob 7y ago
I agree, but I should say that the main concern is not what is better for the environment, but what is certifiably non-synthetic. A secular kosher, is how I'd put it.