Organic Produce Vs. Locally Grown

It's what we are being told is the healthiest pick for our fruits and vegetable consumption: Organic...You see it at the Grocery stores, at online web sites and at your local health food stores. Now, that Spring is around the corner, You will see more local farmers selling their food crops as well. Is it organic, or have they used pesticides or additives? Is organic really better or should we buy locally and help our community?
Furthermore, is there a difference between locally farmed foods and organic food? The answer may surprise you.

The definition of organic is pretty simple. In fruits and vegetables, It means the growing of food without using any additives, artificial fertilizers, sewage or commercial pesticides. In animals, it means farmers have not used any growth hormones, or antibiotics in the growth process of the animal.

The definition of "locally grown" has been disputed many times over and can be a rather complicated argument. Some see "locally grown" as being city wide, others see it as grown within the same state as their residence. The basic definition that most agree on is a food or product that has been farmed within 250 miles or less from your primary residence.

We benefit from organic fruits and vegetables because they do not contain pesticides like normally processed fruits and vegetables have. Pesticides have been notorious in causing birth defects, cancer, hormone imbalances and reproduction issues in humans. In one study, it was found that a normally grown and processed peach had at least 45 different types of pesticides on it, and that it was on at least 94% of other peaches inspected. Peaches aren't our only concern because other fruits and vegetables also contained high amounts of pesticides too. The top 5 fruits and vegetables to contain pesticides are Peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, and cherries. We are told to wash off or peel our fruits and vegetables before eating them, which does some good for lowering the amount of pesticide we eat, but there is a two-fold problem: We lose nutrients in peeling a fruit or vegetable and some pesticides are taken into the fruits and vegetables internally, which can't be washed off. So we lose nutrients, or we take in more pesticides; It's our choice.

Becoming certified as "organic" is a very long and sometimes very expensive process. The farmer must submit an application, decide whether they want a private run, state run, or national certifier or a combination of the three. Some certifiers focus on specific regions, while others focus on the state as a whole. Private certifiers charge an application fee around $250.00 plus inspection costs, plus a service charge of 25%, not to mention other charges that mount with changing to organic. State run certifiers cost a little less in some aspects, with an application fee of around $50.00 plus a farm inspection fee of around $175.00 and an on-farm processing fee of around $100.00 . In addition to the normal fees, a per acreage fee is also charged for produce. The fees range from $4.00 to $25.00 depending on what type of crop it is. There are also re-certification fees and annual assessment fees that vary.

Getting to know your local farmer has some great benefits. Locally grown food help your local economy, they allow us develop a relationship with our local growers, and help preserve the cultural diversity in our unique areas. It also provides consumers with a general feeling of doing something good for their community. Also, one of the best benefits in locally grown is you have the chance to ask questions from the grower. When you know where your food comes from, and what methods are used in growing, you are better educated, and in some instances pleasantly surprised to find out that locally grown food may not contain pesticides found in commercially grown foods, and although not certified as organic, they come very close to being organic. So you now know that locally grown can be the equivalent to organic, you just need to ask questions to make the ultimate decision in what is right for you.

Whatever fruits and vegetables you decide on, whether they be organic, local, or commercially grown, be sure you get your daily 5 as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human services, and the National Cancer Institute.