Organic Food

PRESS RELEASE

November 2, 2010
Words: 283

The Myth of Organic Farming Exposed.

A prominent claim of the Organic Farming Movement is that organically grown food is better than the food from conventional farming. “This claim is not true” says Dr Doug Edmeades, an independent soil scientist based in Hamilton.

A recent major review of the scientific literature, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2009, includes results from 162 studies and concludes: “…… there is no evidence of a difference in the nutrient quality between organic and conventional foodstuff.”

Dr Edmeades noted that “this review follows two earlier reviews one by German scientists in 1997 and the other from Otago University published in 2002 which also concluded that there was very little difference in the quality between of organic and conventional foods.”

“We are not talking about the results of one experiment, we are talking about hundreds of studies and it is not the conclusion of one person or team – different groups of researchers have reached the same conclusion”.

“The significance of these conclusions should be far reaching” said Dr Edmeades, “because they undermine the primary purpose of the Organic Movement which has claimed for years that organically grown food is better than conventionally produced food.”

Dr Edmeades suggested that “the Organic Movement is likely to reject and dismiss this evidence by arguing that ‘perception is everything’ and if people buy organic food believing it is better, then it is! Science they will argue is irrelevant.” “I would encourage the Organic Movement to examine this evidence carefully and take it seriously” said Dr Edmeades. “When the market is informed about these conclusions, people may very well stop paying a premium for products that do not add value.”

END

Dr D.C. Edmeades
Managing Director
agKnowledge Ltd
PO Box 9147 Hamilton
Phone 07 834 0316
doug.edmeades@agknowledge.co.nz