Source: naturalnewswire.com
The Organic Center, based in Denver Colorado, released in March, 2008, a special report of its findings in which it was estimated that a much as 97% of the dangers from pesticides would be eliminated if America’s 8 million acres of land used for growing farm produce would be converted to organic farming.
Dr. Charles Benbrook, Chief research scientist for the Center, summarized in the report that the fundamental way to stop the dangers to food caused by pesticides is to “choose the organic option”. To back up this claim, comparison examples were made between farm produce grown organically to that grown by conventional methods, which included use of pesticides. According to Dr. Benbrook’s findings, American families are exposed to as much as 13 kinds of pesticide residues daily. Some of the larger amounts are found in spinach (9 residues), raisons (11 residues), peaches ( 5 or more residues) and bell peppers (as much as 12 residues).
To add to these findings, it was also noted in the report that other agricultural products, including dairy and meat products, were found to contain multiple pesticide residue. This is perfectly understandable, as the fodder fed to dairy and meat producing cattle comes largely from hay and alfalfa that had been sprayed with pesticides.
In regards to the production of fruits and vegetables, it was pointed out that only 3 per cent of agricultural land is utilized for growing these kinds of produce, with the remainder used for growing cereal grains and similar crops.
Dr. Benbrook added that although it will take years to changed current farming methods to growing crops by organic methods, at least 10 per cent of all crops are currently being grown by organic methods. As more and more consumers begin purchasing organic produce, the risks from pesticides will be reduced as well. The Organic Center included a list of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide risk index. Some of these include: cranberries (178) bell peppers (132) and green beans (330). Imported produce has even higher pesticide indexes with “summer fruits” such as pears, grapes, peaches, and nectarines having indexes of 266 to 282, and vegetables like lettuce and cucumbers having indexes of between 316 and 326. Bell peppers, apparently “havens” pesticide residues, had indexes of over 700!
Taking these findings into consideration, it’s easy to see why it is worthwhile to purchase only organically grown produce.
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