The Idea of an Essay, Volume 3

2016 Composition Contest Winnners 19 The Mob Mentality of Organic Agriculture Timothy VanWingerden Tim is a senior biology major who, after college, plans to work as a grower at his family’s greenhouse business. His degree will help give him the necessary skills to produce cost-efficient crops using state-of-the-art technology. His favorite activities include: basketball, snowboarding, surfing, lifting, and reading. Within the past decade the organic industry has skyrocketed, creating false perceptions associated with its health benefits. The recent trend of organic agriculture reflect the confidence consumers have in it, while the trust in conventional agriculture appears to be declining. They trust their instincts that organic food is healthier because of its price, quality, and cleanliness. The question lies within the attributes of organic agriculture: Does this quality and cleanliness affect the health of someone consuming organic agriculture? This paper will address the facts about organic agriculture; it will look at its contribution to the environment and the individual, seeing if health benefits are associated with it. Although marketing –aided by the organic industry’s rise in popularity –has used the persona of cleaner product to suggest the health benefits of organic agriculture, there is no concrete evidence proving that organic agriculture is healthier than conventional agriculture. Organic agriculture is a natural method of farming. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2014), organic agriculture must follow a specific criteria in order for it to be certified organic. The USDA (2014) states that organic operations must protect natural resources, conserve biodiversity, and use limited substances. For the most part, organic agriculture does not use synthetic materials like chemicals or pesticides, but the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) does approve of a few substances that organic farms can use (2012). All of the studies that address organic