Talk:Organic Foods Research - Fall 2007

Finding and Link “I’LL HAVE THE ORGANIC DRAGONBURGER WITH A SIDE OF LIES” March, 2. 2004 <http://www.grinningplanet.com/2004/03-02/organic-food-agriculture-myths-article.htm>

POV/Source The author provides some information about the US government subidizing inorganic farms instead of organic farms.

Summary Nearly all Western countries provide price supports for agriculture, and in the US these subsidies are overwhelmingly directed at conventional crops, not organic crops. Additionally, much of the agricultural infrastructure—cooperative extension services and agricultural research; transportation and storage systems for commodities; marketing mechanisms—all tilt heavily in favor of conventionally produced crops. If these disadvantages were removed, organic products would be reasonably close in price, and any remaining difference would be due to:

the costs associated with organic certification, and the "externalities" of conventional agriculture—i.e. costs that are NOT included in the price of conventional agriculture's products, such as the ill effects on human health and the environment caused by the chemicals in our food and the pollution generated by conventional farming.

Your name Ryan Hilleary