Organic vs Conventional, what is the difference?

Posted on August 06, 2012 by Mike Shin

organic vs conventional, Dr. Firman E. Bear at rutgers university

The other day, I came across an interesting chart on my friend's facebook page. The chart above, "Organic vs. Conventional" presents the results of a research conducted by Dr. Firman E.Bear at Rutgers University in the Natural Gardener's Catalogue (1995). It compares several vegetables' nutritional content in organic and conventional farming. My friend feels the results are impressive and speak for themselves. He is surprised that people think there is "no difference" between the two. I thought we would share this chart with you so that you too can read about it and give us your impressions.

After looking at the chart, my curiosty got the best of me and I began my own research on Organic vs Conventional farming.

Let's be frank, organic vs conventional is a very complex debate. Therefore, my conclusion is that I will not venture too deeply into a topic that I can not provide a definitive answer. Here is what I have noticed.

1. Organic products are different from conventional ones because they are regulated by organisations that supervise the farming process. The soil and environment are monitored to ensure they don't come in contact with pesticides or fertilizers.

2. Not all conventional products are harmful. However, I am concerned about genetically modified foods. We need to be careful and educate ourselves about the additives present in our food and the methods by which they are grown. When I think about words like "genetically modified foods, human sewage sludge, and nanomaterials", I wonder...

3. Organic produce must be closely monitored, but in many cases it is not controlled properly. Hence, when buying organic produce, it is essential to verify that certification is adequately validated as in ECO-CERT and USDA / NOP.

So, what is Organic Farming?

Products that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.^[1]

Organic	Conventional
Crop rotation	Synthetic fertilizers
Green manure	Pesticides (Herbicides, Insecticides and Fungicides)
Compost	Hormones
Biological pest control	Livestock antibiotics and Food additives