Continued from last month . . .
Myth #3: Organically grown food does not use pesticides.
"Organically grown food is food grown without pesticides; grown without artificial fertilizer; grown in soil whose humus content is increased by the additions of organic matter; grown in soil where minimal content is increased with applications of natural mineral fertilizers; has not been treated with preservatives, hormones, antibiotics, etc." - Robert Rodale This quotation from Mr. Rodale, whose father, J.I. Rodale, began Organic Gardening Magazine, states that "organic" growing does not use pesticides. Webster's New Colligate Dictionary defines a pesticide as "an agent used to destroy something that pesters or annoys." What are rotenone, pyrethrum or insecticidal soap used for? To kill pests! I believe that Friend Sykes (1888-1965), an English Estate Owner, had a better prospective on "organic" growing. He said, "Organic Farming...is another name...for Humus Farming. Organic methods are not, therefore, a matter of avoiding the use of artificials; they require that the cultivator should encourage the fertility which lies, actually or potentially, in the soil itself, and should regard the soil not as inert matter but as a living organism."
Myth #4: Pesticides are toxic and harmful.
Of course they are harmful they are meant to destroy pests. Webster's New Colligate Dictionary, 1980, defines a pesticide as, "an agent used to destroy something that pesters or annoys. "What are some of these pests that we as gardeners are concerned about. There are insects, bacteria, fungi, viruses, mycoplasums, weeds, rodents, mammals, and nematodes that are trying to make a living the best they can. When they make their living at our expense we try to limit the damage they cause. Generally people suffer from a condition known as "chemophobia." Call's Dictionary, 1995, defines chemophobia as "the unreason able fear of chemicals." People are usually afraid of things they do not understand or have knowledge about. The whole earth and its populating organisms, the solar system, and universe are made up from basic 92 or so chemical building blocks found in the chemical periodic table. Some of the most toxic compounds known to man are produced by Mother Nature. A sea snake's venom from off the coast of South America is the most toxic of all chemical compounds known to man. Several milliliters of botulin toxin could kill the entire human race. Pesticides that are used to produce food are necessary to feed a hungry world. One measure of toxicity given to compounds, however not the only one, is the LD50 rating. This is the Lethal Dose of the compound in question needed to kill 50% of a test population, usually lab mice or rats. The LD50 is calculated from animal experiments and is stated as the number of milligrams of the compound per kilogram of body weight need to produce 50% mortality. The lower the number the more toxic the compound. These numbers are developed so relative toxicities can be compared. Below is a list of some pesticides, ("organic" and conventional), and common household products and their respective LD50's:
Roundup - 5,000
caffeine - 192
coffee - 80-175
malathion-1,500
pyrethrin -1,500
rotenone - 132-1,500
diazinon - 1,250
Sevin - 246
Bleach (10%)-11-33
ammonium - 132
aspirin - 1,000
salt-3,000
cyanide - 2.80
Source; Pesticide Coordinator's Office, U of A; Poison Control Center, Tucson, AZ
It is interesting to see that many commonly used household products have much higher toxicity levels than pesticides Remember that the lower the number the more toxic. Also the so called "organic" pesticides have LD50's that are equal to conventional pesticides. Just because something has an "organic" label does not mean that it is not toxic and should be spread around with wild abandon! Always read and follow the label that comes with pesticides, it is a legal document and if not followed you break the law. It is interesting to note that coffee is more than 28 times more toxic than RoundUp herbicide to mammals in terms of LD50's. So just because something is natural or manmade does not mean it is benign or harmful. Below are some quotes from persons who deal with the question of pesticides in the food we eat.
"Our food supply is not only the safest, but it is the most abundant in the world and pesticides are one of the important tools that have made that abundance possible." Dr. C. Everett Koop, Former SurgeonGeneral
"At the present time, I am unaware of any evidence that suggests regulated and approved pesticide residues in food contribute to the toll of human cancer in the U.S." Dr. Richard C. Adamson, National Cancer Institute
"In the case of pesticides, it is our belief, as well as that of the larger medical and scientific community, that the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables far outweigh any potential risk that may be involved in ingesting foods correctly treated with pesticides." Dr. Vern N. Houk, Center for Disease Control
To be continued next month...