Against the Belief that Organic is Anti-Technology

Photo credit: Flickr user arnetAmong the myths perpetuated by the defenders of Big Ag and conventional farming is the belief that organic farming is in anti-technology or anti-science. Take this recent Forbes article entitled "Parody of Leadership," which is about President Obama's "highly inept" political appointees, for example:

"Many other Obama appointees who will be in a position to influence science- and technology-related issues are ideological, radical and poorly qualified to offer sound, unbiased advice on policy. They have a record of hostility to modern technology and the industries that use it...

"Merrigan, meanwhile, relentlessly promoted the organic food industry: High costs of organic foods make them unaffordable for many Americans, discouraging the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables; and, because of their low yields, they waste fuel, farmland and water. Perhaps because of her passion for organic farming, Merrigan, while a staffer for the Senate Agriculture Committee, was completely uneducable about the importance of genetically improved plant varieties to advances in agriculture."

Where to begin? First, I think USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has done an outstanding job after less than a year at her post, helping to build regional food systems through grant funding and federal loans, promoting local food with the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" program, and generally making herself available to farmers.

Meanwhile, one of the most under-reported stories of the decade is that genetically-modified crops are responsible for virtually uncontrollable outbreaks of herbicide-resistant "superweeds" among soy and cotton crops in the South and Midwest, and as a result, conventional growers are using more chemicals than ever. Opposing that technology isn't "anti-science," it's sensible.

The types of technology that are being adapted by cutting-edge organic farmers, such as aquaponics, unheated greenhouse farming, and vermiculture, are admittedly low-tech, but those techniques have proven to be extremely effective in growing large amounts of high-quality food with minimal environmental impact. 

Numerous studies have demonstrated that organic yields can hold their own against conventional crops, and they can be far more fuel- and water-efficient. The only Forbes claim that has much merit is that "the high costs of organic foods make them unaffordable for many Americans," which is exactly what EWG co-founder Ken Cook points out in our latest video.

-Mark