Why eating organic food is better for you and the planet

 

Unlike conventional farming, organic food production does not rely on hormones, antibiotics, growth promoters, synthetic herbicides and pesticides. Organic farmers employ soil management techniques that enrich the soil with organic matter and limit soil erosion, techniques that are not as destructive to the environment. The end result is a food product that is healthier and more nutritious for your family to consume because it is free of dangerous chemicals and is grown in a nutrient rich soil.

 

Is organic food more expensive?

 

The sticker price of most conventional food may be less expensive than its organic alternative but the actual cost of the food to society and the environment is far greater.

 

Take poultry production as an example. If soya is used in the feed, chances are that it is a genetically modified organism. In addition, chemical substances such as synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers are used in producing the poultry feed which in turn pollutes the environment. The costs of detoxifying soil from these pollutants as well as reclaiming the soil from erosion are not factored into the consumer price tag. However, the clean up is a real cost to society because it will have to be done. Residues of hormones and antibiotics in the poultry itself have potential serious health consequences that are borne by society in the form of radically increasing health-care costs. In addition, poultry farmers may get subsidies from federal and provincial government agencies to keep prices competitive.

 

There are no hidden costs associated with the production of organic food and there are no government subsidies aimed at defraying the costs of production. The sticker price reflects the actual cost of production.

 

So, is organic food expensive? The short answer is ‘yes’. But the cost of conventional food also has its price. All things considered, perhaps conventional foods are becoming too costly for ourselves our families and the environment. And perhaps, this is one of the reasons why organic food is the fastest growing sector of the food market. More and more people are choosing organic and voting with their wallets.

 

 

Is Eating Kosher Organic Worth It?

 

When we compare the prices of conventional foods to those of organic foods, many people are left wondering if eating organic is worth the higher price. So why then are so many individuals switching to organic?

 

The answer may be found in examining the ways in which organic foods are produced. For example, organic poultry are produced without hormones, antibiotics or any growth promoters. These Chickens are fed non-genetically modified organic grains that have not been spayed with synthetic herbicides or pesticides. In addition, the poultry are Free Range, meaning they live in open barns and never in cages. Weather permitting they are given access to the outdoors as well. No artificial lighting cycles are imposed upon them to increase the amount of feeding, and the chickens are awake by day and asleep by night.

Given these factors many people find the price tag of an organic chicken worth it. Knowing that these creatures are given the best possible feed and a better life before they become our food, is considered by many to be worth the extra cost.

 

The Kosher Aspect

The kosher slaughter adds yet another dimension to this subject. Aside from the potential health benefits of eating organic food, many individuals who eat organic do so for ethical reasons as well. As described above, organic poultry are raised in a more humane manner and this is important to many organic consumers.

 

The kosher slaughter is always done by hand and never mechanically. The Mashgeach (Kosher Slaughterer), is a highly trained individual and very experienced in his trade. He has to comply with numerous details of his work with exacting care. It takes two individuals to slaughter a chicken. One person holds the bird and the other uses a razor like blade to precisely cut the neck in an exacting place and fashion.

 

Having witnessed this form of slaughter many times, it seems more like a submission than a violent struggle. The birds are not panicked and do not seem to suffer. Any deviation from the protocol demanded of his trade renders the animal unfit to consume. Additionally the viscera of each bird is individually inspected for blemishes or other such signs and if any are found, the animal is rejected and not consumed.

 

One can argue that not only is this a more humane slaughter than the conventional one, but it is also a more selective process, achieving a higher standard of quality as well. These factors I believe are appealing to the ‘ethically minded’ organic food consumer and in the final analysis argues in favor of spending the extra dollars on kosher organic poultry.

 

Eddy Basch DO