Organic shopper: 'We will continue, no matter what Stanford says'
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EUGENE, Ore. - Richard Wilen knows all about organic produce.
As the owner of Hayhurst Valley Organic Farm & Nursery, he said he prides himself on selling the freshest fruits and veggies.
"When you have ripe produce, all the vitamins have fully formed, all the sugars have come out," he said.
So he was shocked to hear about a recent Stanford University study, that states organic foods aren't as nutritious as we think.
"To me it's a very big concern," said Wilen.
A team of Stanford doctors led the research, which looked at hundreds of studies comparing organic eating to conventional eating.
What they found was there wasn't strong evidence that organic foods were more nutritious or carried fewer health risks.
Those are findings that Wilen said could affect business.
"With this somebody can say well, if it makes no difference you know nutritionally, then I'm not going to spend the money.," he said.
Regardless of the study, shoppers at the Tuesday farmers market in downtown Eugene said they're going to continue to buy organic products.
"I don't believe it at all, not one bit of it," said shopper Mary Huse. "And I think organic is the only way to eat and it's a way to say healthy."
And she said it won't stop her from staying organic.
"Absolutely, we will continue, no matter what Stanford says."
Just a quick clarification on my last comment: I was in NO WAYÂ implying that either of you, Whitehawk or souptonuts was attempting to tell me how to eat: it is the government, via huge corporations like Monsanto and Dow chemical, who provide the GMO crops that are attempting to void my choice to eat organically and without GMO modified foods and are trying to have GMO foods and ingredients kept secret from all of us.Â
@angelgabe GMOs feed the third world, without increased atmospheric carbon, GMOs will become necessary to feed everyone, atmospheric carbon is the Key, if we can double it, all nations will be self sufficient in their food production. The atmosphere would favor carbon 3 plants and GMOs would be unnecessary, as would pesticides.  So, lets break out the carbon and green the place up. Â
 @Fancy Jack  @angelgabe Sorry, FancyJack, GMOâs feed the pocketbooks of Monsanto and the like. Huge chemical  corps like them and DOW are getting rich at the expense of the human race, and forcing GMOâs on those of us that DONâT WANT THEM! The FACTS have NEVER been proven that GMO foods are even SAFE. The FDA and USDA have postponed real studies and allowed GMO crops to be grown  even though they donât know what the end results will be.  Some European nations have stopped allowing GMO crops to be planted just for this reason, until they have tested for years to make sure they are safe. The facts are that GMO crops are no better at pest control than other non-GMO crops, they are discovering now, and GMO crops will cross pollinate with other crops, polluting their DNA forever. AND Monsanto and DOW have actually SUED farmers whose crops have been tainted with their GMO crops for STEALING their technology! (Yup, Monsanto, DOW, etc, will OWN the patents on all their GMO crops.) You think that when all food is genetically engineered, Monsanto is going to give it away cheap? THEY will OWN the ârightsâ to FOOD! I have links to confirm these statements from several independent sources. If you want, I can send them to you...
@angelgabe I have my own issues with Monsanto and Dow, I understand the potential benefit of GMOs, but I get nervous when man plays God, so, I am a seed saver, prefering true to type, I have dabbled with trying to force a hybrid with seed splitting,but the 20 plus years to see results leaves little opportunity for success in one lifetime. Had a real good Golden delicious, but a beaver cut it down, the fruit is large and sweet, good for home use not for shipping and handling because it is delicate, will graft some shoots to larger trees, as for some one owning all the food, as you can see, nature has a way of intervening. We need to seriously increase current atmospheric carbon levels, that in itself, would make most chemical companies irrelevent. Carbon is the answer.
@angelgabe I would not in any way tell you what to eat, that is your choice and only your choice and is the business of no one else including and especially the Government. I feel the same as you, I will eat what I choose to eat. The thing that irritates me is that there are many people out there that either see dollar signs or are just plain wanting to nose into someone elses way of life. I have always been an advocate of live and let live, and mind ones own business. The purpose of advertising is to sell, and the problem these days is that too many people who advertise are willing shade the truth, to get the desired result. Anyway you look at it, it all comes back to the need for truth and honor.
Whitehawk & souptonuts, by all means, continue eating non organically if that is your wish. I have no âagendaâ beyond giving my personal opinion here., which, I believe is the âagendaâ of having a commenting section. And I will say it again: NO âstudyâ such as this, which gives me no information that I trust, will stop me from eating the way I want to, and that is: without toxic poisons, without genetically modifying the true nature of foods, without polluting the earth, and killing off natural plants and animals (bees, for one, and no, that has not been proven although a study suggesting it  was hidden by big pharma). MY choice is to eat organic. Eat what you want, for that is what I intend to do. Just DONâT try to force me to eat otherwise!
 @angelgabe my reference to an "agenda" is the news media and all who promote the usefulness of eating organic..it is not directed against any one person. In nature..there is plenty of mutations in all living things.. we have eaten these genetic mutations in foods for thousands of years..Thus far..I have seen no ill effects on the human race..It is sad that folks have to believe everything they hear..
There is a huge difference between organic and conventional. I KNOW the health benefits of organic. This article is so incorrect. I choose to NOT eat foods that are filled with poison. And, I am so thankful I live in Lane County where we have all this wonderful organic foods available to us. Thanks to all the wonderful organic growers and please let me say a huge thanks to the "Blueberry Patch" in Leaburg that for generations have supplied the community with the great organic u-pick farm and to Springfield Creamery for all their wonderful organic yogurts and Kefir!
All you guys ROCK!
I am not against organic foods nor am I pro organic foods. I am in my 70's and take no medication, other than some Vitamin E my doctor told me to take. I grow my own garden, and try not to use too many sprays. The thing that irritates me is someone that thinks they know what is best for everybody. There are so many agendas out there stepping on each others toes, it is pathetic. Why not just leave people alone. I say that the whole health issue is hinged on moderation of everything, including agendas. Common sense usually rules the day.
Thinking that there is a difference in nutrients is just silly... but honestly I've never heard of anyone choosing organic foods for that reason. =/ It's about what's NOT in it, not what is in it. No pesticides. Enough of those chemicals will kill a human outright, so it's just silly to think that a small amount is perfectly fine. And there's the issue that plenty of pesticides are carcinogens. But the other side to that is that it's also silly to buy organic onions, garlic and other foods that don't actually come in contact with the pesticides.
Organic food is a religion, you have to rely on faith not science, the Organophites worship Jormungand, they have for 1400 years.
We who eat as much organic as possible know that it isnât so much that organic is more nutritious, but that organic foods do not contain high levels of pesticides, are not genetically modified, that organically grown foods are better for the environment, because they do not deplete the ground of nutrients, rather they replenish it, and do not pollute it with pesticides. Yes, organic foods are more expensive, but I feel that it pays off in fewer visits to the doctor with health problems. I am almost 60 and I take NO medications: not for high blood pressure, cholesterol, nothing. I feel that eating healthy, non GMO, organic foods is part of the reason for my good health. THAT is why I choose to eat organic.
The study of a group of collegiate doctors, who, due to the fact that they ARE doctors, have a biased outlook on the study they themselves did, will not convince me, or others like me, to avoid eating healthy organic foods.Â
 @angelgabe I too..am in your same age group.. and I too.. take no meds.. And I don't eat organic.. That pesticide on fruits..such as apples ..pears.. peaches..all washes off.. Thus far there has never been any scientific facts to support any health issues with eating genetically modified foods..Hybrid plants grow naturally.. not much different,really... Its all a state of mind.(eating organic).. and like any agenda ,,the public buys into it. All crops are rotated whether it be organic or normal crops.. this is done to keep from depleting the nutrients from the ground.
Your claim to having good health due to eating "organic"is hogwash..
 @Whitehawk  @angelgabe ORGANIC IS NOT HOGWASH!
 @Tammy Buxton  @Whitehawk I am FOR ORGANICS! Donât dis me, I am on YOUR side!
I must agree Whitehawk...I, too, am in this age group and I do not take any meds. and do not even have a doc. So many health issues are lifestyle and state of mind. I would starve to death if I only chose to eat organic for the expense of it. Going to the "regular" market any more depletes my pocketbook with out getting every thing I need. Organic grown food does not have a higher cost to grow but the growers choose to put prices out that are ridiculous.
 @UsaidWHAT I used to think like you: why, if organic products have LESS cost to grow (no pesticides...), does it cost MORE to buy? I finally found the answer: It isnât the growers who price organic products so high, it is the cost that they have to get to make a profit due to the GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS AND FEES just to grow organic crops. You must be aware that the government has itâs hands in the pockets of EVERYONE trying to do thing a bit different, and who choose to have their own business.