Greening Princeton’s Organic Food FAQs
Q. What is organic food?
Organic food is grown without the use of synthetic chemicals, such as pesticides
and fertilizers. It is grown on land that has been free of these chemicals for at least three
years. Also, organic food is not genetically engineered.
Organic animal products come from animals that have not been given growth
hormones or antibiotics. Currently, it is estimated that 80% of antibiotics produced in
the United States are given to farm animals; this practice is contributing to the evolution
of antibiotic resistant bacteria, a serious threat to public health.1
Q. Is organic food healthier?
Generally speaking, yes. Organically grown foods contain two-thirds less
pesticide residues than conventionally grown foods (the fact that they contain such
residues at all show how pervasive these chemicals are in the environment).2 The
Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 60% of herbicides, 90% of fungicides,
and 30% of insecticides (none of which are used in organic foods) are potentially
carcinogenic.3 Although the government has determined acceptable levels for many of
these chemicals, many studies have found much higher residues occurring in food
samples than is allowed by law. Not only is organic food healthier because of the much
lower levels of toxic chemicals, it also contains higher amounts of positive nutrients,
such as minerals and vitamin C.4 It’s not surprising then that scientific studies suggest
that organic food tastes better too!3
Q. Is organic meat/dairy/eggs better for the farm animals?
Yes. One of the reasons that animals on conventional farms have to be fed so
many antibiotics is to compensate for the stress of their environment. Since organic
farmers are not allowed to feed antibiotics and growth hormones to their animals, they
have to treat the animals better. Generally speaking, animals on organic farms live more
natural lifestyles and are subjected to less trauma before slaughter (cattle from
conventional farms routinely lose 9% of their body weight during pre-slaughter
transport due to dehydration and stress5).
Q. Is organic food better for the environment?
Again, yes. Pesticide and fertilizer runoff from non-organic farms pollutes local
waterways and kills wildlife (including beneficial insects and micro-organisms). In fact,
seventy-five percent of the skylark population has disappeared from the countryside
due to conventional farming practices.6
It is estimated that up to two-thirds of fertilizers used on farmland eventually
end up in our waterways.6 Fertilizer run-off from farms in the Midwest have
contributed to an 8,000 square mile “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico that has killed
thousands of fish.
Organic farming methods also improve soil fertility and reduce soil erosion.7 The
US currently loses about 2 billion tons of topsoil per year, significantly reducing crop
yields, forcing abandonment of farmland, and contributing to dust storms like the Dust
Bowl of the 1930s.8
Q. How do I know if something is organic?
Many organizations independently certify farms as being organic. Recently, the
United States Department of Agriculture began an organic certification program. Food
with the USDA Organic label is at least 95% organic.9
Q. What organic food is currently served at Princeton?
Currently, only organic granola and oat “O”s are regularly served on campus.
Occasionally, Dining Services serves organic mixed salad greens and bakes bread with
organic ingredients.
Q. What is Fair Trade Coffee?
Fair Trade Coffee is designed to benefit coffee farmers and the environment. In
many coffee-producing countries, small coffee farmers receive such low prices for their
coffee that they cannot even cover the cost of production and support their families.
Recently, in fact, coffee prices have recently fallen to an all-time low, causing extreme
hardships for many Latin American farmers.10
Fair Trade coffee farms, certified by TransFair USA, are required to ensure that
the coffee was grown using sustainable methods (such as organic farming) and that
farmers receive a fair price for their coffee beans. Fair Trade coffee farming ensures that
families benefit from improvements in education, housing, and healthcare. Currently,
Fair Trade organic coffee and espresso can be purchased at Café Vivian in the Frist
Campus Center. Be sure to ask for Fair Trade organic coffee by name. Dining Services
is considering making Fair Trade organic Coffee available in other locations based on
the popularity of the Fair Trade/Organic coffee sold in Café Vivian.
1
“Antibiotic Resistance: Playing Chicken With Essential Drugs”, Environmental Defense Fund,
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/documents/619_abr_general_factsheet_rev2.pdf
2 B. P. Baker; C. M. Benbrook; E. Groth; K. Lutz Benbrook. 2002. Pesticide residues in conventional, integrated pest
management (IPM)-grown and organic foods: insights from three US data sets.
3 “Organic Food Benefits”, Nutiva corporation, http://www.nutiva.com/nutrition/organic.php
4
“Benefits of Organic Farming”, Soil Association,
http://www.soilassociation.org/sa/saweb.nsf/Farming/benefits.html
5 Peter Singer, “Animal Liberation”, pp.147-150.
6
“The Benefits of Organic Food”, Positive Health magazine,
http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Organic%20and%20Vegetarian/frost47.htm
7 “New USDA Standards a Boon for Consumers”, Environmental Defense,
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentid=2361
8 Lester R. Brown, “Eco-Economy: Building an Economy for the Earth”, pp.63-65
9 “Organic Food Standards and Labels”, USDA, http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/Consumers/brochure.html
10
“Fair Trade Coffee Campaign”, Global Exchange, http://www.globalexchange.org/economy/coffee/