Maurice SkinnerOver the past 20 years, organic food has become more prevalent in our lives and diets. Many countries, including Japan, have seen an increase in the consumption of organic produce from supermarkets, stores, and local farmer’s markets. Many people have also started buying this alternative food because of the low levels of pesticides and fertilizers.
Although all of this might be true, one must wonder if organic produce is actually a better choice for consumers. There are plenty of arguments stating that organic food is not only beneficial to the environment, but healthier for consumption compared to other alternatives. Even so, there may be positive and negative impacts. Let’s thoroughly examine the facts.
Where did organic food originate from?
In order to grasp exactly what is considered to be organic, we have to first take a trip back to the twentieth century. Organic farming was first introduced as a means to combat the environmental harm caused by pesticides and artificial fertilizers used in conventional agriculture. The concept of organic farming was first explored in the 1900s by many individuals whom include Sir Albert Howard, F.H. King, and Rudolf Steiner. It was believed that utilizing animal manure, crop rotation, and biological based pest controls would yield better crops. In the 1960s, the call for more organic produce rose thanks to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.
The Japanese organic food market developed from what is referred to as “teikei-saibai” or “keiyaku-saibai” in Japanese. This system, which was a contract-based production and distribution system, helped establish a direct connection between Japanese farmers and consumers who were interested in purchasing goods produced from said farmers. As a response to misinformation or mislabeling of produce as organic within the country, in 1999, the Japan Agricultural Standards (JAS) established a law that prohibited marketing products as organic without the seal of approval from an authorized organic certifier. Unlike other developed countries such as the United States, Japan is still without a major supermarket chain aimed at selling primarily organic goods.
The benefits of organic food
Organic food has a plethora of positive benefits. One merit is its impact on the environment. Conventional farming often emits more pollution, creates soil erosion, and costs more energy. Furthermore, because organic food contains less pesticides compared to its conventional counterpart, many people say that their food is often fresher; accordingly, these fresh foods often originate from local farms and communities.
Another benefit stemming from organic farming is its consideration of medium to long-term effects on the environment. Surprisingly, according to a study reporting on a meta-analysis of 766 scientific papers, organic farming also produces more biodiversity in comparison to other farming systems. Organic food’s impact on air and pollution, water, and other natural resources tied into the environment are living and breathing examples of the benefits of organic farming compared to conventional methods.
The demerits of organic food
At the same time, there are always two sides to a coin with any situation, and going organic is no exception.
It’s quite evident that organic produce is more expensive compared to conventional alternatives, such as foods containing GMOs. Unfortunately, in Japan, organic food has appeared as sort of trend or fashion. Many stores and high-end food retailers are now selling organic goods along together with fashion and lifestyle goods. While this sort of marketing is increasing the sales of organic food in Japan, it appears to only target a certain demographic, which, unfortunately, excludes the general consumer.
Aside from its high cost, the irregularities in the quantity and quality in Japan also poses several issues. This could also be due to a lack of uniformity across the board within the country. Although these are problems arising in Japan, it is quite common for many countries that sell organic produce to deal with expensive prices.
Misconceptions of organic food
Other than focusing only on the positives and negatives, it is also important to examine common misconceptions related to going organic.
One common misconception related to organic food has to do with nutritional value. Many people who do buy organic might be doing so on the belief that there are better nutritional benefits compared to conventional produce and meat. However, there is still little scientific evidence regarding the health advantages and/or disadvantages of having a diet high in organic food.
Another myth is that organic food does not contain pesticides. Although conventional farming uses synthetic pesticides, which can cause harm to the surrounding environment, organic food tends to use natural pesticides and fertilizers. These natural pesticides and fertilizers are safer for the environment and run less risk of destroying the surrounding natural habitat, as well as the animals and plants that dwell within. However, according to a study by the University of Guelph, going organic may not always be the best choice. The University of Guelph claims that there are times when natural pesticides actually cause more harm to the environment compared to conventional methods.
Going organic promotes responsible consumption
There are plenty of reasons why to choose organic, but because it is still very difficult to thoroughly study all of the pros and cons of organic produce, there may still be doubts and concerns surrounding the best course of action. As of now, it seems as it is best not only to choose organic food, but to conduct research on items before making a purchase.
As for now, it does appear that organic food does tend to benefit the environment, but this may not always be the case. This is why it’s important to conduct research, understand the product that is to be purchased, and attempt to make the correct decision not only for oneself, but also for the environment.
