Anyone who goes into almost any grocery store has been faced with the decision: organic or non-organic? I am definitely guilty of standing in the grocery store struggling to convince myself that I need to give up the extra dollars to buy organic when there is a cheaper version just a few feet away. Is it worth it? Here are a few things you will want to know when deciding for yourself.
Organic is a labelling term for a food or other agricultural products, that is produced in a way that meets specific standards. By the 1970s a market for organic goods had begun to form. By 2002 the USDA implemented national production standards(1). Since then a product must be inspected and approved by a USDA agent, along with yearly inspections to earn and maintain this organic certification (2). In fact only the USDA can authorize a company to market and label its food or beverage as organic (3). If a company is authorized to label a product as USDA Organic, it has met the following standards:
Side view of senior female gardener spraying pesticide on plants in garden center
- Foods are produced without using most conventional pesticides
- Foods are produced without using fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge
- Foods are produced without the use of bioengineering or ionizing radiation.
- The production process must use renewable resources and conserve soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations (3).
For awhile now, questionable farming practices have been common place for the sake of cheaper and more convenient agricultural production. Over time people have become increasingly aware and understandably concerned about the effects of chemical farming. There have been countless studies linking the use of synthetic pesticides to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, ADHA, and even birth defects (4). Along with health concerns there are many environmental hazards related to chemical farming. Pesticides are sprayed on land but many times end up in our water systems and air, throwing off whole ecosystems (4).
Luckily organic doesn’t always mean more expensive. The increased demand for organic products over the years has helped to level out the price difference. It’s also important to consider the long term cost of supporting non-organic farming practices. For many of us, myself included, the demands of daily life often take priority over the future health of myself and the planet. It would be wise to shift these priorities with the understanding of the risk involved. The extent to which these hazardous farming practices affect human health and environmental stability are not yet fully known, but they are already being seen.
At Andi Lynn’s we take a lot of pride in our Certified Organic Elderberry Syrup. Our Founder, Andrea Leyerle, started the company selling Elderberry Syrup at a local farmer’s market back in 2011. From there the business has grown and scaled up, with Andi Lynn’s natural wellness products being sold in partnership with 190+ retailers across North America. From the beginning, Andrea has made “Excellence”, a core value of the company. She believes if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. Which is why she saw it through that all Andi Lynn’s Honey Based Elderberry products are USDA Certified Organic. Our customers can rest assured that they are using a product that is safe for their family and produced in a sustainable way.
1. https://www.sare.org/-Center/Bulletins/Transitioning-to-Organic-Production/Text-Version/History-of-Organic-Farming-in-the-United-States
2. https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/organic-standards
3. https://blog.quicklabel.com/2010/10/how-to-get-a-certified-organic-product-label-in-the-usa/
4. https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/green-science/the_dangers_of_pesticides/