Organics
It seems that everywhere we turn, we find organic items, organic produce, and products made with organic ingredients. Every year, we seem to see more and more organic items popping up. Even large food companies are now boasting organic items. And let’s not forget the clothing industry, with articles of clothing made with organic fibers. Is organic food really all that important? Or is it just another way to get our hard-earned money?
When you compare the cost of health care to that of organic food, it simply does not compare. Let’s take a closer look though because it goes a bit deeper than the price tag in the produce department. Many environmental pollutants are fat-soluble; this includes pesticides used on produce. One of the most abundant neurotransmitters in the body is acetylcholine. The nervous systems of both humans and bugs run on acetylcholine and acetylcholine esterase. Acetylcholine esterase is an enzyme that clears the slate for the next impulse. This process allows for inhaling and exhaling and enable the heart to expand and contract. Most pesticides used on conventional produce contain acetylcholine esterase inhibitors, so it interrupts the process. Thus, in insects, it causes them to breathe in, and never breathe out, or the heart to expand, but never contract. I don’t see how this can be beneficial to humans if it has this effect on pests.
So, how much farmland is dedicated to organic crops?
From 2005 to 2011, organic croplands grew to about 3.1 million acres in the U.S.
In Mexico, about 2% of the land is dedicated to organic farming. It is estimated that 40,000 acres of land are dedicated to organics. Organic farming has allowed Mexican children to leave the low paying resort jobs, and the United States and return to the family farms.
In 2011 1.8% of Canada’s farms were organic.
At the end of 2012, 3.7% of France’s farmland was organic.
By 2007 approx 5.1% of German farmland was organic.
Australia has 3% of its cropland dedicated to organics.
Only 0.1% of Japan’s cropland is organic.
Of all the countries in the world, Asia accounts for 9% of the organic cropland, while Latin America and the Caribbean constitutes 20% of organic land.
The Oceania region has the largest area of organically managed farmland at 40%.
It seems that organics may be around for a while yet.
Sources
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/organic-production/documentation.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_farming_by_country
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2001-03-31/news/0103300936_1_organic-farming-love-farming-foods
http://www.producer.com/2012/06/farm-numbers-dip-but-organic-farms-up-statistics-canada/
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/31/france-organic-idUSL5N0EC33120130531
http://www.dw.com/en/germany-more-than-half-is-farmland/a-5332352
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id027809.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_farming_by_country
http://www.fibl.org/en/themes/organic-farming-statistics.html