This is the first in a series of Q & A’s that moms posed and Arizona Farmers and Ranchers have answered.
Mom Wendy, raising 3 boys, asks:
I hear all about organic farming and how it is healthier for you, but it is more expensive. Is there really a difference? I mean is nonorganically farmed food bad for you?
Great question! For a unique look at this subject, Consumer Reports has done a fairly lengthy study and got most of the information correct.
From my perspective, both have pesticides applied to them and fertilizers applied to them, which is a good thing for the quality of the product. I feed my family conventional produce for a number of reasons. Conventional produce is not bad for you and organic isn’t better for you. It does take more resources (natural and synthetic) to produce the organic product, hence the higher price.
John Boelts, Yuma Produce Farmer, Grower of conventional and organic food