FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS: ORGANIC, CONVENTIONAL, AND LOCAL

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FOOD Production systemsOrganic, Conventional,
and Local
Marisa Bunning, Ph. D., Extension Food Safety
Specialist Colorado State University

• Desktop Training November 13, 2007

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(No Transcript)
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Why is it important?

• "The most political act we do on a daily basis is
  to eat, as our actions affect farms, landscapes
  and food businesses.
• Increasing awareness of food production systems
  and labeling regulations allows consumers to make
  informed choices.

Jules Pretty University of Essex, UK
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Changes in our food systems

• Globalization and mass distribution
• 30,000-40,000 products in supermarket
• Consumers are disconnected with food production
• Recent issues
• limited inspections gt2
• contaminated gluten
• Takes effort to be informed
• Understanding labels

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Consumer Trends

• Organic products 20 growth x 20 years
• Green movement environmentalism
• Purchasing Local Movement
• Fair Trade Standards
• Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHUS)
  www.lohas.com

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Continuum of Food Concerns
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Labeling tells how and where

• Organic
• Conventional
• Local
• Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL)
• Eco-labels, Fair Trade
• Does it make a difference in safety,
  nutrition, taste, cost, the environment?

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Consumer Confusion

• Terminology
• Organic
• Defined by USDA
• Survey only 25 understood USDA seal
• Sustainable
• Local
• Miles, hours, or Colorado-grown
• Conventional /or organic

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Organic Certified Acres

• Organic
• U.S. total acres 4,054,429
• Cropland 1,723,271 acres
• Pasture/rangeland 2,331,158 acres
• Colorado total acres 133,858
• Cropland 73,092 acres
• Pasture/rangeland 60,766
• From small farms to large corporations

Economic Research Service, USDA http//www.ers.usd
a.gov/Data/Organic/
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History of Organic Movement

• 1920s Chemical fertilizers used commercially
• 1940s-50s Organic production experiments,
  Rodale and others
• 1962 Rachel Carson published Silent Spring
• 1973 DDT banned
• 1990 Organic Foods Production Act
• 1997 USDAs initial proposal rejected
• 2002 USDAs National Organic Program (NOP)
  officially implemented

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Organic Legislation

• Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) 1990
• Established standards
• Facilitated interstate commerce
• Assured consumers of consistency
• Natl. Organic Program Standards 2002
• Production methods
• National List of Allowed and Prohibited
  Substances
• 165 substances, approved for 5 years
• http//www.ams.usda.gov/nop/Newsroom/FedRegSunsetR
  eview10-16-07.pdf

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National Organic Program Standards

• Organic food must be produced without
• Use of synthetic pesticides
• Petroleum-based or sewage-sludge-based
  fertilizers
• Bioengineering (no GMOs)
• Ionizing radiation
• Animals raised on organic operation must
• Be given organic feed and no antibiotics or
  growth hormones
• Have access to outdoors

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National Organic Program Standards

• USDA-accredited inspectors
• Crops land must be chemical free 3 years
• Animals organic feed for 3 months, 80 for 9
  months
• Detailed written records
• Separation from non-organic products
• Adhere to list of allowed and prohibited
  substances
• Periodic inspections

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Organic Certification

• 55 agents in U.S./ 1 in Colorado
• Colorado Department of Agriculture
• certify crops, livestock, wild crops and
  processors
• 99 operations listed as of 11/05/07
• Up to 10,000 fine
• Recent case in Colorado Aurora Organic Dairy
• Not required for farms making gt 5000/year

www.colorado.gov/ag/dpi
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Organic Food Sales
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Sales by Product Category
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Organic Foods

• These groups are either 100 organic or not
• Dairy
• Meat seafood
• Fruits and vegetables
• Eggs
• Nuts
• This group has 4 categories of organic labeling
• Processed foods

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gt70 OG cannot use seal but can make claims on
front (small text)
lt70 OG may only list organic ingredients in that
section
100 Organic (OG) can say so and use organic seal
95-100 OG can only say Organic but can use seal
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What are the differences?

• Food and environmental safety
• Quality and nutrition
• Taste
• Yield
• Cost
• Consumer perceptions Harris online poll 9-2007
• 80 thought organic products were safer for the
  environment
• 76 thought healthier
• 36 thought tasted better
• 95 thought more expensive

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Food Safety

• Pesticide residues
• 2.9 to 4.8 times more residues on conventional
• Studies show possible link with Parkinsons
  disease
• Microbial contamination
• Compost
• Regulated in organic production prohibited from
  using raw manure for 90 days before harvest of
  crops grown for human consumption.

Winter, C. and S. Davis, 2006, Organic Foods,
Scientific Status Summary, J. of Food Science, 71
(9) R117-R124
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Pesticides

• Organic Diets Significantly Lower Childrens
  Dietary Exposure to Organophosphorus Pesticides
• 15-day study, used urinary biomonitoring to
  access differences between organic and
  conventional diets of 23 elementary school-aged
  children. Levels of malathion and chlorpyrifos
  decreased to nondetectable levels immediately
  after the introduction of organic diets and
  remained nondetectable until the conventional
  diets were reintroduced.
• Lu, C., Toepel, K., Irish, R., Fenske, R., Barr,
  D., Bravo, R.
• Environmental Health Perspectives, 114 (2) Feb.
  2006

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Parkinsons Disease

• Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of
  the CNS movement disorder
• Characterized by insufficient dopamine
• 4-6 million affected
• Worldwide 1/1000
• U. S. highest prevalence
• Nebraska 3.3/1000
• Incidence increases with age,
• western geography, male

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Pesticides

• This investigation supports the hypothesis that
  exposure to pesticides is a risk factor for
  Parkinsons disease.
• A 9-year prospective study involving 143,325
  participants of a Cancer Prevention Study showed
  individuals exposed to pesticides (farmers,
  ranchers, fishermen) had a 70 higher incidence
  of PD than those not exposed.
• Ascherio, A. et al., 2006, Pesticide Exposure and
  Risk for Parkinsons Disease. Ann Neurol
  60197-203

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Reducing Exposure to Pesticides

• Eat less imported produce
• Domestically grown more likely to comply
• Wash produce thoroughly (weak vinegar solution)
• Peel produce if appropriate (wash first)
• Use wide variety of produce

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Reducing Exposure to Pesticides

• Organic produce consistently lower
• Market basket surveys show lower residues
• Some natural pesticides-less specific and have
  longer half-life than synthetics
• Ask grocer to label country or state of origin
• Remember More benefits to eating fruits and
  veggies than risk

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Nutritional Comparisons

• Few well controlled studies
• Most comparisons made with retail samples
• Genetics (plant crop and cultivar)
• Environment
• Soil type and structure, climate
• Post-harvest Practices
• Harvest time (crop maturity)
• Handling and storage
• Processing methods and conditions

Bourn and Prescott Critical Rev in Food Sci and
Nutr 2002
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Differentiating Small Farm Produce Offerings
Horticulture Landscape Architecture
Food Science Human Nutrition
Agricultural Resource Economics
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Crops broccoli, garlic, lettuce, melon, tomato
and spinach Production 2005, 2006 Focus Groups
2005, 2006 National Survey 2006
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Small Farms Project

• Yield
• Dry Matter
• BRIX soluble solids
• pH (tomato)
• Total Phenolics Folin-Ciocalteu assay
• Antioxidant Activity ABTS, DPPH assays
• Vitamin C HPLC
• Sensory Evaluation taste and appearance

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Dried samples are ground to a powder and sieved.
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CSU Study
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CSU Study
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CSU Study
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CSU Study
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Is Organic Worth the Price?

• On average, costs10-40 more
• Reasons consumers often give to justify the price
• Tastes better
• More nutritious
• Fewer pesticide residues
• Better for environment
• I am worth it my family is worth it

Bourn and Prescott Critical Rev in Food Sci and
Nutr 2002
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Reasons for Not Purchasing Organically Grown Foods

• Too expensive
• Poor availability
• Unsatisfactory quality (appearance of produce)
• Satisfaction with current food purchases
• Unfamiliarity with term organic certification
  systems, logos
• Not sure if really getting organic products

Bourn and Prescott Critical Rev in Food Sci and
Nutr 2002
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CSU Organic Programs

• Interdisciplinary Studies Program in Organic
  Agriculture
• Agricultural and Resource Economics
  Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management
  Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Soil
  and Crop Sciences
• Sustainable Food Issues
• Food Science and Human Nutrition

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Puchasing Local

• Local Production
• Food miles
• Average 1000 to1500 miles
• Relative distance
• Is local the new organic?
• Can indicate freshness, more
• More flavorful varieties
• delicate cultivars dont ship well

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8 Reasons to Buy Local

• From the Field to your Fridge
• Savor the Flavor
• Enjoy Seasonal Diversity
• Support the Local Economy
• Learn about your Food
• Preserve Our Heritage
• Invest in the Future
• Preserve Open Space and Wildlife

Colorado Proud 1999 gt700 members http//www.ag.
state.co.us/Mkt/CoProud/8Reasons.pdf
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CSU Study
3 Farmers Market Focus Groups, n 25
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CSU Study
3 Farmers Market Focus Groups, n 25
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Food Miles Project

• Organic, Locality and Food Miles - Implications
  for Trade, Supply Chains, Environment, and
  Consumer Welfare
• DARE FSHN
• Foods from local and distant sources
• Price
• Quality
• Sensory attributes
• Environmental factors

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Ways to Support Local Farmers

• Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs)
• Shareholders or subscribers
• Vegetables, fruit, flowers
• Share the risk, connect with the grower
• Shop at local farmers markets/food cooperatives
• Join the Slow Food movement
• Savor the freshness and flavor of local foods.
• Plan meals around seasonal foods

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Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)

• 2002 Farm Bill
• beef, lamb, pork, fish, perishable
  agricultural commodities and peanuts
• 2005 wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish
• September 30, 2008 all other commodities
• Industry preferred voluntary (VCOOL)

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Fair Trade Movement

• Organized social movement targeting international
  trade
• Food coffee, cocoa, tea, bananas, honey, wine
• Fair price and treatment of farm workers in
  developing countries
• Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International
  (FLO) 1997
• Controversial, does it augment or impede growth?
• CSU Center for Fair and Alternative Trade
  Studies
• Promotes environmentally sustainable and socially
  just development

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Coffee

• Organic production method
• Fair Trade price set above market value
• Shade grown trees were not removed
• Rainforest Alliance Certified price ecosystem

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Resources

• Colorado Proud http//www.ag.state.co.us/Mkt/COPr
  oud/8Reasons.pdf
• Nestle, M. What to Eat. 2006. North Point Press.
  New York
• Time Magazine http//www.time.com/time/magazine/ar
  ticle/0,9171,1595245,00.html 
• Organic Trade Association's 2007 Manufacturer
  Survey
• http//www.ota.com/pics/documents/2007ExecutiveSum
  mary.pdf
• USDA National Organic Program www.ams.usda.gov/no
  p
• USDA Economic Research Service http//www.ers.usda
  .gov/Data/Organic/
• Winters, C. and S. Davis. 2006. Organic Foods,
  IFT Scientific Status Summary. Journal of Food
  Science. 719 R117-R124.
• Whole Foods Market. 2005. 2005 Whole Foods Market
  organic trend tracker.
• Austin, TX Whole Foods Market.

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Acknowledgments

• Patricia Kendall, Ph.D., R.D.
• Mary Schroeder, M.S., R.D.
• Dawn Thilmany, Ph.D.
• Garry Auld, Ph.D., R.D.
• Adrian Card-Boulder County Extension

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Questions?Comments?
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Possible Evaluation Questions

• Yes or No
• 1. Can the USDA organic seal be displayed on a
  food that contains 90 organic ingredients?
• 2. Can the word organic be used in the label
  of a food that is 90 organic?
• 3. Organic crops are guaranteed to be
  pesticide free.
• 4. Is country of origin labeling voluntary for
  seafood?
• 5. Eggs labeled natural are the same as those
  labeled organic.
• 6. Is buying coffee labeled fair trade
  certified better for the environment?