The Idea of an Essay, Volume 3

22 The Idea of an Essay: Volume 3 how there is a mob mentality in regards to organic agriculture. For example, the study indicated that the 947 subjects who were questioned, tended to respond positively to organically grown fruit and vegetables, and on average agreeing that the fruits and vegetables were healthier, more environmental-friendly, and better tasting than conventionally grown food. Saba and Messina (2003) asked the subjects what they thought about pesticides, and it turns out “significant relationship was found among perceived benefits and risks associated with pesticide[s]” (p. 644). The test subjects had a negative views on pesticides, and many believed that pesticides were harmful. The study described how these perceptions were based on the subjects’ presuppositions towards pesticides. Since pesticides have a negative context, it was reflected in the results. The same thing seems to be happening when one looks at the health benefits of organic agriculture. People will have a predisposition on the health benefits of organic food, and regardless of what the facts are, they believe what marketing wants them to believe. With the perception of organic agriculture being healthier, this particular effect is clearly seen. It has evolved into a mob mentality: Organic agriculture is healthier since it is more expensive, cleaner, and of higher quality. The mob mentality can be seen as it is reflected in the increase of organic sales throughout the U.S. According to the USDA, it has risen from 3.6 billion in sales to 26.7 billion only within the past ten years (2014). The false perception of organic agriculture being healthier is led by the drive of marketing and the rise in popularity. Marketing has done a great job correlating clean with healthy. Now, when a consumer at the super market hears of the word, “organic” they associate this clean, environmental-friendly, higher quality product as a healthier alternative than conventional food. This is a common logical fallacy. Although the organic product is cleaner, higher quality, and better tasting, it does not prove that it is healthier as most people assume. It sounds logical and believable: a more expensive, better tasting product that is grown naturally without the use of potentially harmful chemicals must be healthier. Take that statement and add some advertising to it and you have a product that everyone wants to buy. Forget about the quality, the taste, the aesthetic marketing label of “certified organic,” and think of the organic product stripped down to its raw ingredients.