saynotochemicals – Blog Greenearthorganics

Recently on a well-known Radio Talk show a nutritionist claimed that “it is a myth that organic produce does not have pesticides on them….. and some studies show that organic produce has higher levels of pesticides.” in addition she claimed that there was no benefit to eating organic produce. I have to say having dedicated 20 years to growing organically and having come out of a career in chemistry I would like to dispute both facts and there are clear scientific studies that demonstrate that both statements are false.

It was Leondardo Da Vinci who said: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” and farming organically is simplicity in action, and a key principle is working with nature without the use of “pesticides” to treat weeds, or the little critters that eat our vegetables every now and then.

That being said, there is a list of approved substances that can be used in organic farming if an issue persists. But on this list, you will find things like neem oil, beeswax, mineral oils, paraffin, soap, mint oil, clove oil, and an insecticide, pyrethrum (which is extracted from the chrysanthemum flower) and such natural elements as sulphur and copper, the latter both used as traditional methods to control fungus. It is important to highlight that generally a derogation must be requested to use any of the last three on the list, and they will only be used where there is little other choice.

In 2021 the Department of agriculture tested 1,039 fruit and vegetable samples for a staggering 474 chemicals (synthetic chemicals manufactured in a chemical plant, with labels such as toxic, irritant, carcinogen and more)

For fruit, of the 528 tested, 63.8% had pesticide residues detected, 5.5% had residues detected above the MRL (the maximum residue limit, this is the limit that is deemed safe for human consumption, personally and this is my opinion I would prefer to avoid these chemicals in my food entirely if possible).

3 fruits contained a cocktail of 9 different pesticides in them.

For veg, of the 511 tested, 43.6% had residues detected, 5.1% had residues detected above the MRL. A cocktail of 15 pesticides were found in one sample.

And if you were still unsure about whether non-organic produce is no different to conventional go and visit Tesco’s website and check out fresh oranges with the following details:

NOT SUITABLE FOR VEGANS Post Harvest Treatments & wax by Country of Origin: Spain: Imazalil/Thiabendazole/Pyrimethanil & Wax E914, E904 Israel: Imazalil/Thiabendazole/Orthophenylphenol & Wax E914, E904 Morocco: Propiconazole/Pyrimethanil/Imazalil & Wax E914, E904 Egypt: Imazalil/Thiabendazole & Wax E904, E914 Peru: Imazalil/Orthophenylphenol/Thiabendazole & Wax E903, E904 RSA: 2,4 D/Imazalil/Thiabendazole & Wax E914, E904 Chile: Imazalil/Fludioxonil/Pirimethanyl & Wax E903, E904

I get it though and the fact remains that it is certainly better to be eating fresh fruit and vegetables that much of the Ultra processed food that line supermarket shelves.

But if you wish to limit your exposure to pesticides in your fresh food which were found in over 50% of veg and over 60% of fruit then organic is the clear choice.

And finally in 2015 one of the most comprehensively undertaken studies showed

“……that the evidence from this study is overwhelming – that organic food is higher in antioxidants and lower in toxic metals and pesticides.

So please if you are going to make general sweeping comments such as “there is more pesticides found in organic produce, and it is no better for you” on national radio please get your facts straight.

As always thank you for your support.

Kenneth

I must have been 13 years old when I started working as a helper gardener with the Franciscan monastery in Corrandulla, and no this was not to be my path! It was purely a means to an end for a young lad and to be fair I had an interest in working outdoors and with plants.

The monastery had glass houses and a walled garden, it was amazing and unheard of back then in the mid 80’s. There were tomato plants in those glass houses. I cannot tell you how unbelievable it was to see tomatoes growing in Galway back then. One job I remember in particular was using a knapsack sprayer for the first time. This is a sprayer that you put on your back. The head Gardener filled up the sprayer and I was given the job of spraying the tomatoes, I was told the spray was for the plants and that was it, and off I went to do my job.

The tomatoes were doing really well, so I sprayed the plants thinking I was doing some good. The day finished and I remember it was a Friday, and I went home. On my return to work on Monday I was greeted with a less than happy monk, the plants were all dying, I guess he added the wrong chemical to the mix, it was quite probable it was Roundup. Since Roundup’s introduction in 1974, weeds have out paced the ability of chemicals to control their presence. Superweeds are now well documented such as Palmer amaranth. The chemical company’s response has been to increase the application rate of the said chemical or/and merge two herbicides such as Glyphosate and Dicamba, the second of which is now banned again.

These increased toxic cocktails are not a step in the right direction.

The entomologist Robert van den Bosch coined the term “pesticide treadmill,” a concept referring to the slow escalation in the potency of the chemicals needed to control pests and maintain crop yield. The challenge of course though is in a world now reliant more and more on GMO seeds and heavy doses of one single herbicide, how do farmers in this system produce food when it fails as it is now.

There are different possibilities, but there is little doubt that the years of cheap commodity crops being raised to feed animals may be coming to an end.

The number one reason that organic food is more expensive than conventional food is the labour required to manage weeds. Spraying a field with a chemical is easy and cheap. Having said all of that the potential benefits of moving away from chemical agriculture towards a more holistic approach to food, can be financially viable. The costs associated with less sickness, increased biodiversity, less pollution, clean water, clean soil and healthier food; these hidden costs of the impact of our current approach to agriculture could then be redistributed fairly to farmers to protect our amazing planet. Like the tomatoes in the green house, it was as I know today completely possible to grow these phenomenal plants without any synthetic chemicals whatsoever.

As always thanks for your support.

Kenneth