Organic vs. Conventional Food: Advantages and Disadvantages

Introduction: The Rise of Organic Food

The scientific and technological development of the modern era has brought many advantages to humanity. From flying planes to television sets, from factory production to better healthcare, from space exploration to the invention of the Internet, modern science offers considerable comfort and convenience today. There are, however, costs associated with the rapid development of science and technology. The rise of industrialized food processing is one such cost: sophisticated technology is used to drastically reduce the costs of food production through the use of artificial fertilizers, hormones, herbicides, and pesticides, and food on average travels hundreds or even thousands of miles before reaching consumers. The result has been a marked reduction in the overall quality of food available to ordinary people. Industrialized food processing offers cheap products but also causes many health hazards and damages the environment.

Because of these concerns, there has been a boom in organic food production over the last two decades in the United States. Organic food is generally considered healthier, more nutritious, and more environmentally friendly than what is now called "conventional" food. Yet there are downsides to going organic in a capitalist society like the United States. The organic food industry is increasingly being taken over by large industrial producers, while there is also the growth of what Kim Severson calls "greenwashing" — a practice that allows food producers to package and market their products in ways that make them appear "organic-ish," thereby further deceiving consumers.

There has been a proliferation of organic food stores in recent years, including giants such as Whole Foods Market that specialize in organic and natural food ("Organic Food Sales See Healthy Growth"). Other major retailers such as Walmart and Meijer have also begun to sell organic products, which makes comparing organic food stores with traditional grocery stores increasingly complicated. Large organic producers such as Whole Foods Market and Stonyfield have come under criticism for allegedly abandoning their founding ethics in favor of profit. The distinction between organic food stores and conventional food stores is therefore increasingly blurred, and it now largely comes down to comparing organic food with nonorganic food. This paper discusses the production costs of organic food and compares them with the costs of nonorganic food, while also examining the broader challenges facing the organic food movement.

Organic vs. Conventional Farming Practices

While debate between producers of organic and conventional food continues, from a scientific perspective there is little doubt that organic food is more environmentally friendly, more nutritious, and healthier overall. There are several essential differences between the two approaches. Conventional farming, for example, promotes plant growth using chemical fertilizers, whereas organic producers use manure and compost to enrich the soil. To control pests, conventional farming sprays crops with pesticides, while organic farming relies on insects, birds, mating disruption, and traps — all natural methods. Conventional farmers use chemical herbicides to manage weeds, whereas organic farmers rotate crops, till, mulch, or hand-weed. Conventional farmers feed their animals growth hormones, administer antibiotics and other medications to prevent disease, while organic farmers provide animals with organic feed, allow them to roam outdoors, and give them clean housing and a balanced diet ("It's Easy Being Green"; "Organic Foods").

Because conventional farmers do not always give animals a balanced diet, these animals are more likely to develop diseases and harbor dangerous bacteria such as E. coli. As a result, many meat products are washed with ammonia before packaging — adding yet more chemicals to the food supply. Conventional farming is also less environmentally friendly due to the greater use of chemicals that contaminate soil and water. In terms of food quality, the evidence strongly favors organic over conventional production.

The Cost of Going Organic

Organic food is, however, more expensive. For example, while a gallon of milk at a Walmart store in a small U.S. town might cost $2.48, a gallon of organic Horizon milk at the same store can cost over $6 — more than two and a half times as much. Organic food costs more because producing it is more expensive. Organic farmers buy costlier feed for their animals, engage in more labor-intensive practices, and spend more to avoid chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Organic farming also yields less than conventional farming, since it avoids hormones and other artificial growth stimulants.

However, while organic food may appear more expensive in a short-term calculation, it may prove cheaper in the long run. For instance, research has found that organic milk contains 67% more antioxidants and vitamins, along with significantly more Omega-3s and Omega-6s, than nonorganic milk ("Organic Foods"). Organic food also contains no preservatives, additives, hormones, or antibiotics, and is not genetically modified. Taken together, these considerations suggest that the sticker prices of organic and nonorganic products at the grocery store can be deceptive about their true relative value ("It's Easy Being Green").