1. Persistent Pesticides
Eating organic reduces the amount of chemicals in your diet namely persistent pesticides. The use of insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers and weedkillers are strictly monitored in organic food production.
Organic farming produces healthy food without the use of toxic pesticides. While some organic farmers do use pesticides they are primarily derived from natural substances. These natural pesticides must be approved for organic production. The National Organic Standards Board, or NOSB, and the National Organic Program, or NOP. maintain a list of materials approved for use in organic production. This list is determined with input from farmers, business owners, consumer advocates, and the public. The general rule for the national list is that naturally occurring materials are allowed, and synthetic materials are prohibited, however there are some exceptions. Once the NOSB and NOP add a material to the national list, third-party organizations like the Organic Materials Review Institute evaluate new products to make sure they’re in compliance. It’s a process that involves hundreds of technical experts. Learn more about this process from the Rodale Institute. The natural pesticides that are approved are only allowed to be used when other pest control methods aren’t successful. Find out why pesticides can’t just be “washed off” here.
