Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

livingontheland - [Livingontheland] Organic, Local & Beyond

livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Organic, Local & Beyond
  • Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:26:12 -0600

Organic, Local & Beyond
By Sharon Palmer, RD
Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 8 No. 10 P. 44
http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/tdoct2007pg44.shtml

Food choices have health, as well as environmental, consequences.
Understanding how the planet’s health intersects with the public’s health is
an important asset in a dietitian’s repertoire. Are you ready to face the
questions? The answers aren’t always easy.

A stack of plastic boxes containing rock-hard tomatoes are piled in the
produce section with labels proclaiming they were organically grown in
Mexico. Next to them are bins filled with ripe, locally grown tomatoes. An
approaching customer pauses, eyeing each option, weighing how best to spend
her food dollar. Will it be pesticide-dusted or fuel-gulping tomatoes for
tonight’s salad?

This is the kind of question perplexing a growing number of consumers.
According to a recent Gallup Poll, 90% of Americans recycle, 83% reduce their
energy use, 83% use less water, 83% avoid environmentally harmful products,
and 73% buy environmentally beneficial products.

Think this isn’t dietitian territory? Think again. As the vanguard of the
food and nutrition profession, dietitians are finding these issues falling
directly into their laps, regardless of whether they are prepared to face
them. Dismissing environmental and health concerns related to food production
as marginal is no longer a play dietitians can afford to make. Growing
evidence is linking our current food system with chronic disease. “If you
study food from production to the table, there is an agricultural connection
between food, nutrition, and health,” said Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, the
Paulette Goddard professor in the department of nutrition, food studies, and
public health at New York University, at the International Association of
Culinary Professionals (IACP) Annual Conference held earlier this year in
Chicago.

Environmental-meets-health food issues are marching steadily to the
forefront; just look at the headlines for proof. Industry vets are getting in
on the game, including Wolfgang Puck, who recently pledged to support
humanely raised livestock, and Tyson Foods, Inc, which announced that all of
its fresh chicken will be raised without antibiotics. The subject has made
its way to the mainstream, not only through popular magazines such as Eating
Well and books like The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan and What to Eat
by Marion Nestle, but also onto the silver screen with Eric Schlosser’s
book-turned-movie Fast Food Nation. The more one digs into the health of our
food system, the clearer it becomes that there are no easy answers. “Most of
us prefer black and white answers, but there is so much gray area,” says
national award-winning “Food Sleuth” columnist and Food and Society Policy
Fellow Melinda Hemmelgarn, MS, RD. And consumers aren’t the only ones
confused; food and nutrition professionals are having a tough time skirting
the minefield that is today’s food system, with its vast areas of controversy
and debate over how the health of our environment intersects with the health
of our population.

A Broken Food System
It’s hard to ignore how troubled our food system has become. People rarely
cook; takeout and fast food are the norm; and the family dining table appears
to be going the way of the dinosaur. An increasing reliance on convenience
foods is exemplified by the growing inventory of packaged foods that fit into
the growing number of cupholders in cars. Simply put, most people have lost
touch with food, rarely giving a second thought to how the raspberries found
their way to Chicago in January or what makes their Cheetos fluorescent
orange. Just walk into your nearby grocery store and take a big whiff.
Despite the thousands of products lining store shelves, can you detect the
faintest smell of real food?

At the core of the problem is our centralized food system. Instead of farmers
growing a diverse range of crops that may promote a healthier soil system and
sustain a community, agriculture has become focused on gigantic, regional
crops. Estimates indicate that 92.9 million acres of corn and 62.1 million
acres of soybeans will be planted by year’s end. Is it a coincidence that the
current bad boys of cheap ingredients—high fructose corn syrup and partially
hydrogenated soybean oil—come from these predominant crops?

According to David Wallinga, MD, MPA, director of the food and health program
at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy at Minneapolis and speaker
at the Nutrition and Health: State of the Science & Clinical Applications
conference held earlier this year in San Diego, today’s agriculture is
large-scale, specialized, concentrated, and production-focused, contributing
to the impaired health of workers, spread of pathogens, antibiotic
resistance, inflammation, metabolic syndrome, obesity, poorer rural
communities, concentration of ownership, reduced access to fresh produce,
less resilient agriculture, unhealthy animals, reduced soil quality,
contaminated groundwater, and climate change. Food production in the United
States accounts for 17% of U.S fossil fuel use. Global livestock production
accounts for 18% of greenhouse gasses worldwide, which does more damage than
transportation does. A pretty grim picture, indeed.

The Meaning of Life Organic
Recently, I overheard a professional lamenting about the trickery of organic
products since “organic really means carbon-based, and everything we eat is
organic.” True. Organic means “relating or belonging to the class of chemical
compounds having a carbon basis,” according to Webster’s Dictionary; thus,
everything we eat is made up of carbon-based, organic material. But organic
food production standards have brought new meaning to the term.

The USDA put into place national standards that food labeled organic must
meet. Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable
resources and conservation of soil and water. Organic meat, poultry, eggs,
and dairy products come from animals that are not given antibiotics or growth
hormones. Organic food is produced without the use of most conventional
pesticides, fertilizers, and synthetic ingredients; bioengineering; or
ionizing radiation. Government-approved certifiers inspect organic farms and
food companies for compliance to standards. The USDA organic seal indicates
that a product is at least 95% organic. If you still have doubts about the
stringency of the National Organic Program, feel free to peruse the 554-page
tome that defines the standards at the USDA Web site here.

So what difference can organic products make? The list of benefits for human
health and the environment is a long one. For starters, many experts are
concerned about pesticide residues in humans, especially in fetuses and
children. Wallinga says, “The average American is carrying around 13
pesticide residues.”

He reports that health implications associated with pesticides and children
include leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma, brain tumors
(the same tumors repeatedly found in adults), birth defects, and
neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, there is
emerging evidence that there are hormonally active chemicals, as well as
growth-promoting compounds, animal by-product contaminants, and plastic
additives, in the food chain. Add to the conundrum the fact that workers and
farm communities may be exposed to pesticides at even greater levels, and
soil and groundwater can be contaminated. Additional research is needed to
better understand the health risks from pesticides in food.

Growth-promoting inputs in livestock continue to be cause for concern.
Estimates indicate that approximately two thirds of American cattle raised
for slaughter are injected with hormones to make them grow faster. Dairy cows
are given a genetically engineered hormone called recombinant bovine growth
hormone (rBGH) to increase milk production. Scientists fear that these
hormone residues can disrupt human hormone balance, cause developmental
problems, interfere with the reproductive system, and even lead to the
development of breast, prostate, or colon cancer. In addition, 70% of all
U.S. antibiotics are given to beef, cattle, poultry, and swine as feed
additives. Such overuse of antibiotics has led to scientific consensus that
antibiotic use in food animals contributes to resistance in humans. The
Institute of Medicine called for substantial efforts to be made to decrease
the inappropriate overuse of antimicrobials in animals and agriculture.

There may be some nutritional benefits to be gained by going organic.
According to a review of 41 published studies in The Journal of Alternative
and Complementary Medicine, organic crops contained significantly more
vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus and significantly less nitrates
than conventional crops.1 The Organic Center’s second State of Science Review
reports that organic farming methods have the potential to elevate average
antioxidant levels, especially in fresh produce. On average, antioxidant
levels were roughly 30% higher in organic food compared with conventional
food grown under the same conditions.2 “I’m convinced that benefits from
organic foods extend beyond nutritional composition,” says Hemmelgarn.

Organic Shortcomings
While there is much to like about organic food production, there are a few
setbacks. The U.S. organic food industry is growing by leaps and bounds,
increasing by 17% in 2005 to reach $14.6 billion in sales. Food manufacturers
are beginning to realize the bright future for organics; thus, many are
rushing to put organic labels on their food products. But some organic
products are little more than organic “junk food,” with highly processed
ingredients in their lineup. Consumers often think that because a food is
organic, it must be healthy, but this is not always the case. Highly
processed and packaged organic foods that are transported across the country
drain resources, which is in opposition to the goals of sustainability.

Organic produce is also starting to do some serious traveling. U.S. Customs
analysis indicates that the United States has a significant organic trade
deficit, importing between $1 billion and $1.5 billion while exporting
between $125 million and $250 million in 2002. China is looking to become a
leader in the organic industry, despite the notoriety they have recently
earned due to food safety issues. Country of origin labeling may help
consumers understand how many miles organic products travel to the consumer.
“The gold standard is local organic,” says Hemmelgarn.

“How much energy does it take to produce food, to package and transport it?
You see it traveling greater distances than it ever has before,” says Angie
Tagtow, MS, RD, LDN, a consultant at Environmental Nutrition Solutions. “Some
organic foods take more energy to produce and transport than the energy they
provide to people. This is a great example of unsustainable organic food.”
The average U.S. farm uses 3 calories of fossil energy to produce 1 calorie
of food energy, and in the typical feedlot, every calorie of beef protein
requires approximately 35 calories of fossil energy input.

More issues over organics emerge when considering individual food company
practices. Tagtow reports that not all organic dairy producers operate in the
same manner, a result of the lack of specificity with the national organic
standards. While some producers have been criticized for operating large
facilities that limit a cow’s access to pasture and feed them an organic yet
processed diet, others encourage their producers to raise their dairy cows on
pastures and feed them grass and forages, which is more sustainable and
offers nutritional benefits. If you compare the fatty acid profile of
grass-fed livestock with grain-fed, it has lower levels of saturated fat and
higher values of conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids. And just
because a company is organic doesn’t mean that it factored into production
fair labor or humane livestock practices. Nestle believes that we need to
protect the organic standards and fix its loopholes.

One of the biggest concerns about organic food is the price tag, which is
typically much higher than its conventional counterparts. Many argue that
pure food should be available to all, not only to those who can afford it.
Hemmelgarn says, “Many people don’t have the luxury to make these choices.
Unfortunately, we appear to have a two-tiered system. It’s important to
question policies that restrict healthful food choices among certain segments
of our population.”

Loco for Local
Supporting a local food system is a big part of the sustainability equation.
Buying local means that food does not travel long distances and burn up vast
quantities of fossil fuels en route to consumers. On average, U.S. food
travels roughly 1,300 miles from field to mouth. “There are certified organic
products traveling thousands of miles compared to locally grown products,”
says Tagtow. Buying local also supports a community-based, diverse
agricultural system, helps protect farmland from urban sprawl, and reconnects
consumers with the food supply. “Having a connection with the person growing
the food is a really beneficial thing. You can ask the appropriate questions
about how the fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat are produced,” says Tagtow.
Nestle sums it up when she says, “Local trumps organic.”

Local food is gaining ground. “There are a couple of exciting trends related
to access and availability,” Tagtow says. “There are a lot more farmers’
markets cropping up; there is an increase in community-supported agriculture
farms and organic acreage; and there is a heightened awareness and interest
for the average consumer.” People known as locovores religiously pledge to
eat only foods grown within a 100-mile radius, and star chefs plan “local
dinners” in which all foods come from within a 150-mile radius. Such efforts
may sound like a piece of cake, but try locating local sources for everyday
baking staples like baking powder, cinnamon, and flour.

The local food movement has spawned debate over its definition. How local
does local really need to be? Does it mean that residents in the Midwest
should never enjoy wild salmon, pineapple, or olive oil? Some people are
calling for community certification so people can ascertain where their food
was grown. But in the end, it’s all about degrees of local. Consumers should
prioritize that at least perishables come from local sources.

FoodRoutes Network, an organization that sponsors the “Buy Fresh Buy Local”
campaign, suggests that if consumers pledged to spend $10 per week on local
produce, it would make a significant difference. Timothy Schlitzer of
FoodRoutes Network said at the IACP conference, “Local food is hard to find,
and it’s not easy to define. Local should decide local. It is hard to define
by mileage and sustainability. It’s not a label; it’s a movement. It can’t be
replicated; it’s personal. Labels shouldn’t explain everything; people should
participate in food.”

Beyond Organic
The debate about local foods makes chasing a healthy, sustainable food system
become even grayer. Some critics call the organic industry “organocrats”
since the standards require such a burden of paperwork that doesn’t always
result in a more sustainable, healthful product. Thus, many small farms are
taking matters into their own hands. Some sustainable livestock ranches
purposely avoid certification because they do not want to rely on faraway,
organically certified slaughtering houses, which may increase their reliance
on fossil fuels. Others complain that organic certification does not
adequately address issues such as grass-fed and humanely raised livestock.
Small farmers selling produce at farmers’ markets may not have the resources
to become certified organic, but they may uphold the same ideals. “I am
finding that many farms are employing organic practices without necessarily
being certified as organic,” says Tagtow.

The seeds of a new movement known as “beyond organic” are beginning to
germinate, which takes organics a step further by taking issues such as
sustainability and food miles more seriously. The Slow Food movement is also
picking up speed. “Slow food is culturally and biologically diverse and
modeled after nature. It is regional and local, sustainable and organic,
flavorful, valuable, nutrititious, and pleasurable,” said Erika Lesser,
executive director of Slow Food USA, at the IACP conference. Slow Food USA
hopes to influence a cultural shift and realignment of values by returning
pleasure to the table and building a healthy, sustainable, local community.

If consumers truly wanted to leave the slightest carbon footprint (the
measure of the impact that human activities have on the environment in terms
of the amount of greenhouse gases produced in units of carbon dioxide), they
would grow their own organic produce in their gardens and eat a diet laden
with minimally processed, whole foods. If we turned back time and modeled our
eating behavior after our grandparents’, we would reduce food processing,
packaging, and distribution. Think: loaf of homebaked bread, cheese purchased
at the farmers’ market, and apples from the backyard apple tree vs.
Lunchables. “Whole foods that are minimally processed require less energy to
produce than highly processed, packaged foods,” says Tagtow, who notes that
it takes a lot of energy to create cheap foods based on commodity crop
ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated soybean oil.

Hemmelgarn, who maintains a small kitchen garden in her backyard, recommends
teaching youths about home gardening, cooking, and preservation so they can
enjoy local foods at their peak all year long. “Start out with just one
tomato plant. It’s one step closer to having access to fresh and affordable
fruits and vegetables,” says Hemmelgarn.

Nestle takes it a step further, suggesting that for our food culture to
improve its impact on both the environment and health, people should reduce
the number of total calories they consume. After all, the food system
produces twice the number of calories it needs.

Perhaps the best advice is for people to make decisions about what they eat
based not only on their health but also on the health of their community and
the world at large. Think about the food on the plate and ask questions.
Where did it come from? How was it produced? Were the people who produced the
food treated with respect? Was the soil cared for? Were antibiotics and
growth hormones used in livestock? Were the animals treated humanely? Does
the food taste fresh and delicious?

A Place for Dietitians in the Food System
While dietitians have traditionally focused on what’s inside of food—from
vitamin and mineral levels to grams of protein and fat—perhaps it’s time for
them to look at the bigger picture. Dietitians can be key advocates for
positive change in the food system. Hemmelgarn hopes they will become more
vocal and involved in influencing policies that will make healthful foods
more accessible. “I think dietitians would benefit from more training in ways
to become politically savvy. In addition to speaking up at school board and
city council meetings, I recommend writing letters to the editor. They can be
very powerful. They can even start out getting involved in their local day
care or school,” says Hemmelgarn. Nestle urges people to support farmers’
markets, teach children to cook, and get involved at the local level by
picking an issue and working on it.

According to Tagtow, past chair of he Hunger and Environmental Nutrition
(HEN) Dietetic Practice Group, HEN membership has increased by 10% to 12%
each year for the past four years. “It indicates there is an interest in
these issues,” says Tagtow. HEN can be a helpful resource for dietitians
hoping to learn more about their role in the food system, offering practical
information such as HEN’s organic talking points. In addition, the American
Dietetic Association (ADA) appointed a Sustainable Food Systems Task Force to
help identify the role of ADA members. The task force developed a primer on
sustainable food systems, “Healthy Land, Healthy People: Building a Better
Understanding of Sustainable Food Systems for Food and Nutrition
Professionals” available here.

Says Hemmelgarn, “It’s about the planet we leave to the future generations.
The food choices we make today have the potential to protect or harm future
generations.”

— Sharon Palmer, RD, is a contributing editor at Today’s Dietitian and a
freelance food and nutrition writer in southern California.

References

1. Worthington V. Nutritional quality of organic versus conventional fruits,
vegetables, and grains. J Altern Complement Med. 2001;7(2):161-173.

2. The Organic Center. Organic center report indicates organic foods have
elevated levels of antioxidants. January 27, 2005. Available here.

A Deeper Look at Organic and Local Foods
Here’s a handy resource guide for additional information on the organic and
local food systems:

Center for Ecoliteracy:
www.ecoliteracy.org

Environmental Working Group:
www.ewg.org

FoodRoutes Network:
www.foodroutes.org

Health Care Without Harm:
www.noharm.org

Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group:
www.hendpg.com

Local Harvest:
www.localharvest.org

National Organic Standards Program:
www.ams.usda.gov/NOP

Organic Trade Association:
www.ota.com

Slow Food USA:
www.slowfoodusa.org

The Organic Center:
www.organic-center.org





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page