https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f1025eb0e6b67cadf9d3b40&rgn=div6&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32.7&idno=7#se7.3.205_1601There's a list of allowed and prohibited substances for "organic farming". Here's a few choice ones from the livestock section that are allowed:
(i) Fenbendazole (CAS #43210-67-9)—only for use by or on the lawful written order of a licensed veterinarian.
(ii) Ivermectin (CAS #70288-86-7).
(iii) Moxidectin (CAS #113507-06-5)—for control of internal parasites only.
(18) Peroxyacetic/peracetic acid (CAS #-79-21-0)—for sanitizing facility and processing equipment.
(19) Phosphoric acid—allowed as an equipment cleaner, Provided, That, no direct contact with organically managed livestock or land occurs.
(20) Poloxalene (CAS #-9003-11-6)—for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires that poloxalene only be used for the emergency treatment of bloat.
(21) Tolazoline (CAS #-59-98-3)—federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the lawful written or oral order of a licensed veterinarian, in full compliance with the AMDUCA and 21 CFR part 530 of the Food and Drug Administration regulations. Also, for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires:
(i) Use by or on the lawful written order of a licensed veterinarian;
(ii) Use only to reverse the effects of sedation and analgesia caused by Xylazine; and
(iii) A meat withdrawal period of at least 8 days after administering to livestock intended for slaughter; and a milk discard period of at least 4 days after administering to dairy animals.
(22) Xylazine (CAS #-7361-61-7)—federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the lawful written or oral order of a licensed veterinarian, in full compliance with the AMDUCA and 21 CFR part 530 of the Food and Drug Administration regulations. Also, for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires:
While I'm not sure what all of these are, they aren't typically what people envision when they hear "organic." Personally I'm fine with livestock producers using medications as needed, generally they don't just bathe the entire group in antibiotics because antibiotics aren't free. In any case, as was stated above I'm more concerned with medicines in the water system than my ground beef (and not very concerned in any case).
Then you've got examples like strawberries, where they're pretty hard to grow organically, so the regulators just decided to not worry about how the baby plants are treated and still let people call them organic:
http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/a-dirty-little-secret-your-organic-strawberries-arent-really-organic/Apparently, the organic strawberries that you purchase for 50% to 100% more than ordinary berries, are being disinfected with harmful toxic chemicals at the early stages of their life, such as methyl bromide.
So, organic farmers are actually allowed to buy a non- organic started material by the Federal and state organic regulations, and still sell their products as organic
http://www.thepacker.com/news/driscoll%E2%80%99s-transitions-organic-berry-plantsHere a big company is actually the first to try and have all organic plants, note this article is from 2015, approximately 25 years after organic standards became a thing. A few quotes from this article:
One rule in particular was on their radar — current organic regs allow for the use of nonorganic materials when there aren’t any comparable organic options. That rule has allowed California’s organic strawberry growers to use nonorganic plants because the state did not have any certified organic nursery stock.
That's a pretty big damn exception to the rules, and the public perception of what organic means.
The way I figure it, >90% of people have around 50 other things higher up on their "what will make me healthier" list before they get to "organic instead of conventional cucumbers." Are organic products healthier? Probably if they're done right, and you know the person who farms them, and that person does a good job on keeping his soil healthy, and has it tested for heavy metals regularly. Then again, the average small scale farmer like that grows a few different things and sells them at the farmer's market, so you'll have to visit probably 10 farms if you have much of a varied diet, and you still are trusting those people, plus paying probably 3-4x what you would in a supermarket, and the farmer's market is only open 1-2x a week. If you have the time, energy, interest, and money to do that, by all means go for it! Even if you do have the time to do all of that, I suspect using it to exercise would have more of an impact on your health than any benefit you'd get from the food.
For the rest of us, if you think you're eating healthier by getting an organic apple from Chile vs a conventional one, you're kidding yourself. They will both probably be fine, personally I do try to get USA produce whenever possible because I trust the regulatory oversight a bit more here. Even a conventional apple from Chile is better than a pint of ice cream, which is what the average American is actually eating. Don't even get me started on things like organic mac and cheese or organic chocolate bars.
I've chatted with a few people over the years who bemoan how expensive fruits and vegetables are, and a few of those times I found out they are pricing organic produce. These are people who eat at Chipotle because it's "organic" (sometimes) or other non organic fast food places because to them groceries are just so expensive. They had in their mind that conventional produce was less healthy than fast food, even if it was mostly subconscious. I'm guessing they watched some Netflix documentary about how horrible pesticides are and how conventional produce is just dripping in poison. That's not an argument against organic, but I think it is important to let people know that conventional food isn't "dangerous," especially not compared to the typical American diet when we're having these discussions.
As for GMOs, I'm glad someone mentioned the whole "radiation" treatment up thread. "Natural" produce is far from natural. Have any of you ever seen a wild tomato plant? "Natural" tomatoes are not a thing, they've been modified by people over centuries to be what we have today.
Most people trust all sorts of "un natural" things for our medical treatment, but when it comes to food people insist that technologically limiting themselves must be safer. Then again, a good portion of anti-vaxxers tend to be all about the organic produce, so at least they are consistent. They also tend to be really down with essential oils, which of course are unnatural and can be harmful/dangerous, but sound very rustic and primitive, so therefore must be safe.
