From local farmers YES , from corporate growers NO.

JON BROOKS: The meta study did find that 38 percent of conventional produce tested contained pesticide residues, compared to just 7 percent for organic produce. How important is that in and of itself?

MICHAEL POLLAN: It's very important. If you're concerned about pesticide residues in your food, you're much better off buying organic. The study said all these pesticide residues in conventional produce are permissible under EPA rules. They may be, but there's a question of how adequate those rules are. Because there are questions about whether those levels are okay for children and for pregnant women.

There was a very important study, which was mentioned in the meta study, about organophosphates and the link to various cognitive difficulties in children. This is epidemiological, and it's very hard to prove cause and effect, but caution would argue for keeping those chemicals out of your body, and organic produce is one way to do this.

Edited transcript...

JON BROOKS: So is this meta-study a big deal?

MICHAEL POLLAN: I'm not sure it's a big deal. The media's playing it as if there were something new here, but this is not new research, it's a meta-study [a review of previously conducted research], and I've seen the exact same data analyzed in a very different direction. A lot of it depends on how you manage your assumptions and statistical method.

I think we're kind of erecting a straw man and then knocking it down, the straw man being that the whole point of organic food is that it's more nutritious. The whole point of organic food is that it's more environmentally sustainable. That's the stronger and easier case to make.

It's true the body of research around nutrition is really equivocal, and we need to do more studies on that. But the success of organic doesn't stand or fall on that question. This study disputes how significant the differences in antioxidant and nutrient levels are between organic and conventional food. But that's not central to the discussion of why organic is important, which has a lot more to do with how the soil is managed and the exposure to pesticides, not just in the eater's diet but to the farmworker.

MK, what is your reason for saying that? What is the difference?

I personally buy organic foods because the producers do not use pesticides and chemicals. I know there's more to what makes a food organic than that, but really that's why I buy it. I don't want all those chemicals in my body or that of my family. Less chemicals is better for you. Period.

It looks as though Stanford has "gored" a rather large ox. Is organic worth the thirty to fifty per cent more? Well no. Further, no one on either side believed that organic was more nutritious just did not have the pesticides or the interest in using "other than naturally" created seeds. Does all this make a difference? Not really. Those who prefer organic will continue to purchase and advocate organic. Those who do not will continue to purchase non-organic. A tempest in a tea pot except for the organic growers who fear losing business.

I'm 53 years old and am a lover of healthy foods more so than junk foods. To me, it doesn't matter if it's organic or inorganic as long as you can eat it and enjoy it, and try to make sure most of what you eat is healthy for you. I have mostly eaten inorganic foods all my life and God has bless me well, no medicine, no obesity, no regular doctor visits, however, I do exercise three to five times a week. I wish everyone well.

This reminds me of a garden club meeting I attended many years ago. A member brought in two apples, one from his organically grown and fertilized, pesticide free tree and the other from one that used artificial fertilizers and pesticides. The shriveled buggy organic apple did not look inviting; the non-organic was the apple we expect when we buy large, healthy looking fruit.

One of the best technical analyses on the weaknesses in this Stanford study has been done by Dr. Charles Benbrook of Washington State University. He actually has read over 200 of the 260+ articles reviewed in the Stanford meta-analysis.

http://www.tfrec.wsu.edu/pdfs/P2566.pdf

One other shortcoming in the Stanford analysis of pesticide risks is worth noting. There is now strong evidence that pre-­‐natal exposures to organophosphate (OP) insecticides increase the risk of a range of neuro-­‐developmental deficits (Crews et al., 2012; Engel, et al., 2011; Rauh, et al., 2011; Bouchard et al., 2011), including reduced IQ (Bellinger, 2012). Untimely OP exposures during pregnancy also increase a child’s risk of autism, ADHD, and asthma (Vandenberg et al., 2012). The studies cited above report relatively consistent relationships between levels of OP metabolites in the blood and urine of women during pregnancy, and in umbilical cord blood upon birth, and the prevalence of birth defects and developmental impact.

I agree with Larry on growing what you can yourself . My maters and peppers are still making and my compost pile is churning out some nice fishing worms .

Sharon, I buy from these local folks. I asked the difference. The difference is that what's grown in California is not picked ripe and has a week or two to travel and ripen unnaturally on a truck. Local is picked at it's peak and vitamins etc...stay intact. The local bluberries were so sweet that you'd think you had dipped them in sugar. That's the way most fruit is supposed to taste. Put them next to grocery and there's no comparison.

You do have to be careful though when buying. There is a market to make money and some things that say organic are no better than anything else- just more expensive. It's good to do a study on good eating habits, at accordingly, and your weight and health will fall into place.

Seeing as the FDA is in bed with Monsanto and the other big players in the genetically modified food game the only way to avoid being exposed to food that has been tampered with on the genetic level is to buy organic. Not to mention a lot of GMO food just tastes as good as organically grown produce. Those reasons and the considerably lower exposure to potentially hazardous pesticides is pretty much why "organic foods are better for you".

Here's one blogger's reasons for buying organic, local produce: http://athens.patch.com/blog_posts/our-last-true-vote

We grow what we can ourselves - tomatoes, peppers, onions, sweet potatoes, and beans to name a few, plus a few melons in the summer. We also make blackberry and muscadine jelly from the fruit on our property. We have four small apple trees that we hope will yield more produce in the future (only five apples this year).

I definitely support using local farmers as much as possible. Sometimes this is cost prohibitive, of course. The biggest difference I've noticed is simply that things that are locally grown and "organic" (many locally grown products are organic, minus the expensive certified organic label required by the government) simply taste better. I've never gotten a blueberry or raspberry from the supermarket that tastes as good as the ones fresh off the bush/vine. Tomatoes from the store are often tasteless too. And if it doesn't taste good, what's the point?

To all the skeptics about organic, I challenge you to the Earthfare Apple Juice taste test: Text EAT to 71700. You will get a text message that will afford you 40% off a grocery trip to Earthfare. You'll have to use it the same day. Go to Earthfare and buy a gallon jug of the Earthfare brand all natural apple juice. It used to be organic, but for whatever reason, now it is just labeled "all natural."

Buy the $6 jug of apple juice for $3.60 plus tax. Now go to Kroger or Wally World, or wherever you buy regular apple juice, and buy a half gallon of Mott's or Whitehouse or Kroger brand apple juice. Take home and refrigerate.

Sit down with your family and pour cups of both apple juices. Begin with the Earthfare apple juice.

I don't buy all organic because I can't afford all organic. However, I've read a lot on the subject and recommend buying all organic bell peppers.

Actually, my daughter is a trainer and says that we should eat as close to natural as possible, forgoing as much "packaging" as possible. For instance, for a snack, instead of a poptart, make some cinnamon or peanut butter toast. I make a shake every morning in the blender and am able to get my green stuff and fresh fruit and it's delicious. A cup each of kale and spinach, frozen fruit (mangos, peaches, berries, pineapple) and two bananas. I add extra berries to make mine a purple shake. Add 1/4 cup of water and blend. It's extremelt sweet, you don't taste the green stuff and there is NO SUGAR except what is found naturally in the fruit. I make it while I wait for my coffee to perk; it takes that little time. Add some protein (oatmeal or eggs) and you'll stay full til lunch. And because you didn't put anything in your body that will make you crave anything un-natural, you'll probably make better choices for lunch. Look at all the vitamins, minerals etc... that you get from a breakfast like that. best news of all is that the total calories is 300 - for the whole amount of the blender and it provides 2-3 servings.

On this, Tammy, we agree. I agree wholeheartedly with you in regards to diet. What I do not have in my kitchen in organic foods, I make up for with fresh foods or frozen fruits. More carrots, cucumbers, kale, leaf lettuce, sea weed, all natural (but not organic) meat, etc. Less potato chips, other starches and carbs, less sugar. We do have turbinado and instead of coffee I drink decaf tea with turbinado.

Athens-mama- I think that's the key - fresh. that's what my daughter says. Make it as fresh as possible. The shake can be anything. You can substitute cucumbers and celery for the other greens or even make yourself a homemade V-8. The difference is that it tastes (better, I think), and you don't have 875 milligrams of sodium. I think that's the key. My daughter says, "If it can spoil, it's good for you...if it has a long shelf life, it's not". I'm with you that you don't have to get legalistic about it, but just be mindful of what you eat. Not sure bout giving up my coffee just yet though :)

AM - try the shake! I make mine purple (by adding berries - blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries- they sell a pkg. of that at Kroger). Berries are supposed to be loaded with anti-oxidants. The kale and spinach are leafy green vegetables. At my age, I can use all of those I can get.

Tammy is right about the shakes, it does work. Sometimes I have three or four of them in the morning. I make mine with garden tomatoes and vodka. YUM! I use the new 3 Vodka. It's made from Soy, has zero carbohydrates and is Gluten-free.

Well, Mike, as long a you don't try to go to work thereafter...lol

Mike, I'll just have a spicy V8 and vodka. Thanks. :-) I feel twice as healty when I have two.

Don't worry Tammy, that's just a Sunday morning thing. I could only go to work after that if I had a government job, where actual performance is a non-issue :-)

Marne- I am sorry, it must have been the shake talking. That was not aimed at the large portion of government employees that must actually perform, just the ones that do not, like, say, the President for example.

Having worked in ground water cleanup their really isn't anything that is truly organic unless they are filtering all their water supply. Which doesn't remove all chemicals. So if you share an aquifer with anyone who uses pesticides, or fertilizers it will be in all the water supply, maybe not as high levels as directly on the plant but your getting some. Both have the same nutitional value, unfortunately mass production has lost alot of the flavor and texture. A soft peach, tomato, etc. will get mushed, so they are like hard balls to deliver. So remember when your voting to de-regulate, the more in the soil-the less organic.

I'm a gub'nent worker too and I knew he was just taking a stab at political humor. But there are a lot of situations where no matter how poorly someone performs, they can't get fired, so you end up with the poor hardworking people having to do the work of the mediocre people who take advantage of them. I've been in a situation like that and it's no fun at all.