Side Effects of Organic Food by Quentin Li

Side Effects of Organic Food Organics aren’t as good as you think ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

HONG KUAN (QUENTIN) LI

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Side Effects of Organic Food •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

WRITING COLLAGE EMAIL PHONE

Hong Kuan (Quentin) Li Hong Kuan (Quentin) Li freeeyeskids@hotmail.com 415.806.0678

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Academy of Art University GR 600 Visual Communication Lab Phil Hamlett Jeremy Stout

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HONG KUAN (QUENTIN) LI

When consumers buy something organic, often theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also buying into the picture on the package.

The cow grazing in a bucolic pasture or a farmer gathering goods by hand from a small field.

But, the truth is...

Corporate giants own your favorite small brand. Different large megastores such as Walmart and Costco have gotten into the organic business, the open fields and small farms have given way to factories. 9

INTRODUCTION / WHAT’S ORGANIC, EXACTLY? •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I believe that once organic food became industrialized, it created problems.

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FOREWORD

An Organic Trade Association 2011 organic industry survey found that about 66 percent of Americans buy organic food at least on occasion, and there is more and more people are willing to purchase it. Most people think it is safer, healthier and better for the environment. Organic products seem to have become the magic cure-all, synonymous with eating well, healthfully, sanely, even ethically. However, most of them don’t know organic food has become big business, and is creating various problems, such as deforestation, carbon footprints, negative animal treatment, organic industry scandals, and so on. In my viewpoint, organic products have some advantages, but how to eat better doesn’t mean everything has to be organic. It’s about how to choose foods correctly, and to spend money on the right products. It is important for consumers to have better understanding about organic food industry.

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CONTENTS 14 18

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FOREWORD INTRODUCTION 01 / ORGANIC INDUSTRY TIMELINE 02 / WHAT’S ORGANIC, EXACTLY? 03 / ORGANIC IS BIG, BIG BUSINESS 04 / ORGANIC FOOD MARKET TRADE

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FINDING THE TRUTH BEHIND ORGANIC LABELS 01 / CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION ABOUT ORGANICS 02 / ORGANIC FOOD ISN’T HEALTHIER 03 / ORGANIC IS NOT ALWAYS SAFER 04 / ORGANICS AREN’T AS GREEN AS YOU THINK

32 36 40 44

ORGANIC FOOD IS NOT A CURE-ALL 01 / CHALLENGES 02 / MAKING A WISE FOOD CHOICE 03 / FOOD PACKAGING RELATED TO FOOD SAFETY 04 / BUILDING A GARDEN CITY 05 / ORGANIC LABELS’ MANAGEMENT 06 / TRACKING YOUR FOOD SOURCES

52 54 56 58 60 62

REFERENCES AND CREDITS

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Not all organic food is created equal, this an important fact to keep in mind when shopping for healthy food.

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INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

ORGANIC INDUSTRY TIMELINE

1953

Synthetic pesticides and many herbicides were introduced to American agriculture, and like many new inventions of the era, were embraced and used wholehearted immediately.

A loose network of farmers, including J.I. Rodale, Farm School in Kemberton, and Paul Keene of Walnut Acres Farms, shunned chemical agriculture by farming organically and writing about their experiences to the public.

Natural Food Associates (NFA) was formed in Atlanta, Texas, to help connect scattered organic growers with fledgling markets for organically grown foods.

1962

The growth of the big organics industry prompted activists across the U.S. to form regional groups and create organic standards to certify farmers and their crops. A group of farmers formed California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) , becoming the first organization to certify organic farms in North America.

1970’S

Writers in the U.S. and Great Britain published influential works introducing the basic idea of organics—that the health of plants, soil, livestock and people are interrelated and advocating a fundamental approach to farming based on understanding and working with natural systems rather than trying to control them.

1970’S

1950’S ‐1960’S

1940’S

Rachel Carlson’s Silent Spring was published, documenting various negative consequences associated with chemical use in agriculture. Its publication gave rise to environmental consciousness and a renewed focus on organic agriculture.

1973

Some attribute the United States’ ban of the pesticide DDT as the start point of the modern environmental movement. The organics industry grew substantially due to expanding consumer opposition to chemical pesticides coupled with a desire for healthy food that was produced without harming the environment.

ORGANIC INDUSTRY TIMELINE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

1990’S

2000’S

The organic industry was getting bigger, and had estimated sales of more than billion, and Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), which established the framework to make National Organic Standards. OFPA mandated the formation of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to advise the Secretary of Agriculture in setting the standards for the UDSA National Organic Program (NOP). NOSB based its recommendations on industry consensus.

1997

Organic industry members and consumers sent over 275,000 responses to the USDA on their proposed National Organic Standards, requesting stricter standards for organic farmers.

2004

2000’S

1990’S

The USDA’s initial proposal for organic standards was presented for approval regardless of some provisions not recommended by NOSB, and was severely rejected. This marked the first time in history an industry fought for stricter standards for themselves.

2001

Finally, the USDA passed the National Organic Program (NOP) after reinstating prohibitions on irradiation, sewage sludge and genetically-engineered seeds.

2002

Official implementation date of the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) certification for organic labeling.

USDA passed several new rules that allow USDA-certified organic farms to use fertilizers and some pesticides that contain “unknown” ingredients, and USDA-certified organic dairy cows that have been administered antibiotics or fed non-organic fishmeal—made with many synthetic preservatives and potentially contaminated by mercury and some carcinogens.

USDA also announced they will no longer regulate non-agricultural products labeled as “organic.” Any seafood, body care products, pet foods, fertilizer, and clothing, no matter how they are produced, could be labeled “organic.”

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WHAT’S ORGANIC, EXACTLY?

The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has implemented a set of labeling rules to clarify the levels of food purity, but they are still somewhat confusing if the consumer is not completely aware of the guidelines for the various levels.

The word “organic” has lost a lot of its meaning as big agricultural players get into organics on the industrial level. Organic food is basically industrial agriculture done without the use various kinds of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It follows the bare minimum to meet the regulations in order to get that “Certified Organic” stamp. It’s done on a massive scale, and often by companies that also grow non organic food and just want to cash in on the bigger margins that health and environmentally-conscious consumers are willing to support for organic food. Organic food is a conventional food crop but grown according to a different set of standards. In this sense, organic food is exactly the same thing just like kosher food. The food itself is identical, but it is prepared in such a way to conform to different philosophical standards. Just as kosher standards are defined by rabbinical authorities, the USDA has implemented a set of

labeling rules to clarify the levels of food purity, and basically it is forbiding the use of different types of modern synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in favor of organic equivalents, and for animals it requires that they have not been kept healthy through the use of antibiotics. The basic goal is to require the use of only natural products throughout the preparation, growth, and preservation stages. However, they are still somewhat confusing if the consumer is not completely aware of the guidelines for the levels. Organic food is more expensive than conventional food, due not only to its lower crop yields and more expensive organic fertilizers and pesticides in larger quantities, but mainly because it’s such a big fad right now and is in such high demand.

INTRODUCTION / ORGANIC IS BIG, BIG BUSINESS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

ORGANIC IS BIG, BIG BUSINESS

“Industrial organic” seems like an oxymoron, but as large corporations acquire or control small brands, organic production has had to rise to the challenge. And that means mass production.

Organic food has become big business. The days when the organic produce section of the supermarket represented the product from a small local farmer are long gone. According to the Organic Consumer’s Association, sales could hit $35 billion in 2012, with half coming from conventional supermarkets. Though still only about 2.5 percent of the agricultural market, demand for organic has grown 20 percent annually in recent years, and most of the top-selling brands are now owned by some major agribusiness behemoths. For instance, California alone produces over $900 million in organic produce in 2011, most of it were coming from just five farms, who are also the same producers of most non-organic food in the state. 70 percent of all organic milk is controlled by just one major milk producer. Dean Foods, for example, owns White Wave and Horizon Organic, the No.1selling organic brand across the country. Unilever owns Ben & Jerry’s Organic.

In addition, Groupe Danone, a French corporation, recently bought Stonyfield Farm. Even Walmart is plunging deeper into the market, announcing it would dramatically increase its organic offerings. About ten or fifteen years ago, when the major food producers saw that organic food was coming into vogue. They smelled higher prices charged for less product, and started many producing organic crops. Nearly all organic crops in the U.S. are either grown, distributed, or sold by exactly the same companies who produce conventional crops.

ORGANIC FOOD MARKET TRADE

The organic food trend of today is growing ever-stronger, and not just for vegetables even though meat and fish which is organically produced is still at the lowest of all food purchases, but is moving up the chain too. Dairy, bread and grain, beverages and snacks are all becoming more and more popular.

78% of U.S. families are buying organic food in 2011

(at least occasionally)

SOURCE: http://www.organicnewsroom.com

ORGANIC FOOD MARKET TRADE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Organic food sales in the U.S. 35,000

(from 2001 to 2011 in million U.S. dollars)

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31,500 30,000

25,000

24,803 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 23,607

20,000

15,000

10,000

26,708

20,410 17,221 14,223

12,002

7,360

8,635

10,381

0 2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

5.10%

7.70%

10%

15%

20%

9.50%

15.70% 18.50%

18.50%

20.70% 25%

15.60%

17.30% 20.20%

21.10%

Organic food sales growth in the U.S.

(from 2001 to 2011)

SOURCE: Organic Trade Association 2011 Organic Industry Survey

78%

20%

40%

U.S. consumers are choosing to purchase organic foods

Over the past decade, organic food sales have grown at an average annual rate

Families say they are buying more organics than they were a year ago.

4.6%

66%

33%

American organic food market share in 2011. (3.7% in 2009 and 4% in 2010)

U.S. consumers buy organic foods at least occasionally

U.S. consumers purchase organic foods at least weekly

54%

40%

People purchase organic food in mainstream groceries

People purchase organic food in farmer’s markets

Fruits and vegetables in the organic market of the U.S.

94%

72%

30%

Organic operations nationwide are planning to maintain or increase employment in 2012

Parents are now familiar with the USDA Organic seal

U.S. families are new entrants to the organic marketplace

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Think twice before buying organics.

FINDING THE TRUTH BEHIND ORGANIC LABELS

FINDING THE TRUTH BEHIND ORGANIC LABELS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION ABOUT ORGANICS American food shoppers’ knowledge and perceptions about organic food were assessed in a statewide phone survey from The Thomson Reuters-NPR Health Poll. This results represent responses from 3,008 survey participants interviewed between May 2–13, 2011.

Around 66 percent of Americans buy organic food at least occasionally in 2011, mostly because they believe it’s a healthier alternative. Many people don’t, however, understand the USDA grading system for organic foods, or even exactly what makes certain foods organic. The survey asked respondents about their attitudes, knowledge and perception about organic foods.

Age range: 18–91 years old

31%

69%

CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION ABOUT ORGANICS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Interviewee' profile

4.5% Disabled

5.6% Student

57.3% Employed

9.5% $100,000 +

14.0% $18,000 -

4.5% Unemployed 5.9% Keeping house

22.2% Retired

13.3% $70,000100,000 45% Have kids 26.6% $40,00070,000

55% No kids

12.6% $18,000$25,000

24.0% $25,00040,000

Employment Income Household 33 23

SOURCE: The Thomson Reuters-NPR Health Poll Survey, 2011

63%

58%

54%

Interviewee who under age 35 choose organics when possible

Interviewee who believe organic foods are absolutely better for the environment

Interviewee who believe that organic foods are better for health

57%

19%

49%

Respondents believe that buying organic products is better to support small and local farmers

Interviewee who have a lot of trust in the accuracy of the USDA organic label

Interviewee who have little or no knowledge on USDA’s National Organic Standards

76%

69%

34%

Consumers who buy organic foods agree that they are all products without GMOs

Consumers who agree that organic foods are products without irradiation

Polled individuals said their first expression about organic food is chemical-free

73%

43%

78%

Interviewee who think that organics are too expensive

Consumers surveyed said they believe that organic food has “better taste.”

Interviewee who think organic foods are less readily available than conventional foods

ORGANIC FOOD ISN’T HEALTHIER

According to American Academy of Pediatrics, current evidence does not support any meaningful nutritional benefits or deficits from eating organic compared with conventionally grown foods.

Organic foods can always cost as much as a third more than conventional alternatives, with consumers shelling out the extra cash with the hopes of buying healthier, more nutrient-dense foods. Organic foods contain numerous marketing claims and terms, only some of which are standardized and regulated. In terms of health advantages, organic diets have been convincingly demonstrated to expose consumers to fewer pesticides associated with human disease. Organic foods have been demonstrated to have more nutritions than conventional foods have for a long time. On the other hand, current evidence does not support any meaningful nutritional benefits or even deficits from eating organic foods compared with conventionally grown foods, and so far there are no well-powered human studies that directly show health benefits or disease protection as a result of consuming an organic diet. Studies also have not demonstrated any detrimental or disease-promoting effects from an organic diet.

In addition, A new large-scale study from Stanford University finds that when it comes to nutrition, organic foods, like meat, dairy, and produce, may not be worth the extra cash. “There isn’t too much difference between organic and conventional foods, if you’re an adult and making a decision based only on your health,” claimed researcher Dena Bravata. “Some believe that organic food is always healthier and more nutritious,” states co-researcher Crystal Smith-Spangler at School of Medicine of Stanford. “We were a little surprised that we didn’t find that.”

ORGANIC FOOD ISN’T HEALTHIER •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The majority of Americans always think foods with the word “natural or health” on them are better and safer. And yet there are no governmental safety standards for using the word “natural and health.”

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“A cookie is a cookie; it doesn’t matter if it’s organic.” —Andrea Giancoli

There are also lots of varieties of organic junk food. Don’t get fooled by the word “organic” when it’s on a bag of cookies—they’re not healthy just because they have a picture of a farm on them.

Various stores are widening their organic product choices to include more processed foods, such as organic jelly beans, potato chips, cookies, and even vodka. Many surveys from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics consistently demonstrate that people perceive organic foods — no matter what they are —to be healthier than their conventional counterparts. “Organic is actually on so many food packages of highly processed foods,” says Andrea Giancoli, M.P.H., R.D., dietitian and spokesperson from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Washington, D.C. “I also find that people see “organic” on a food label and it doesn’t seem to matter what the actual food is; they think it is healthful.”

nutrition profile of calories, fat, sugar, and sodium in those cookies is any better than the conventional chocolate chip cookies across the aisle. “A cookie is a cookie; it doesn’t matter if it’s organic,” Giancoli adds. Organic junk food is all of the processed items— things like pizza, chips, cookies, ice cream, sodas and sugary cereal. Even granola isn’t usually that healthy. It’s full of sugar and fat, and often the white and refined versions of them. The exactly same things about vegan junk food, such as faux meats, faux cheeses, and any cookies, sugary cereals, chips, pizzas and sodas that don’t have meat, dairy, eggs or honey. Even organic ice cream isn’t usually healthy if you eat too much.

If you see “organic” on the food label for chocolate chip cookies, all it means is that the ingredients, such as wheat, sugar, chocolate, and butter, are cultivated organically. It does not mean that the

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FINDING THE TRUTH BEHIND ORGANIC LABELS / ORGANIC IS NOT ALWAYS SAFER •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

ORGANIC IS NOT ALWAYS SAFER

The National Organic Standards Board keeps a list of 250 non-organic food additives that can be used under the “certified organic” label. That is three times the number listed just 10 years ago.

In a review of thousands of papers, the researchers from Stanford University found that there was also no guarantee organic food would be pesticide-free, though it did have almost 30 percent lower levels compared to conventional products. Yet despite this, the review yielded scant evidence that conventional foods posed greater health risks than organic foods. According to the study, conducted by scientists at Stanford University, both organic and conventional animal products, on the other hand, have repeatedly been shown to be widely contaminated with harmful pathogens. The reviewers found that the differences in contamination between organic and conventional products were statistically insignificant. For chicken, 67 percent of organic samples and 64 percent of conventional samples were contaminated with Campylobacter, while 35 percent of organic and 34 percent conventional samples were found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Moreover, pork

was very commonly contaminated with E.coli—65 percent of organic and 49 percent of conventional samples— and the reviewed did not find any studies that compared organic and conventional beef. In 2011, Federal officials announced that First Class Foods Inc., a large organic beef producer based in Hawthorne, has recalled 34,373 pounds of organic ground beef and hamburger patties due to concern that they may be contaminated with E.coli O157:H7. E.coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, kidney failure or, in the most severe cases, death. Moreover, Organics have lower levels of hormones, including estrogen, fed to animals to quickly fatten them up. There are questions that the estrogens used in meat and dairy production might be in part responsible for a host of problems, including breast cancer and early onset of puberty in girls.

Organics have some levels of estrogen 23

Whole Foods Market is a foods supermarket which is emphasizing “natural and organic products.”

ORGANIC IS NOT ALWAYS SAFER •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“I don’t think that Whole Foods Market does anything to try and make people think that we don’t have food with GMOs in them.” —Libba Letton, Whole Foods Market Inc.

Whole Foods Market, one of the most popular and fast-growing chain of “healthy” supermarkets in the U.S., makes customers feel good about groceries the moment they enter. Furthermore, it is a market chain priding itself on selling the highest quality, freshest, and most environmentally sound produce. Most of its customers believe that its selection of organic food and take-away meals are eco-friendly, healthy, safer, and totally delicious, and a lot of customers shop at Whole Foods Market to avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

In addition, a recently study from the University of Caen, French, have discovered that rats fed on Monsanto’s genetically modified corn or exposed to its top-selling weedkiller suffered tumors and multiple organ damage. Gilles-Eric Seralini of the University and colleagues said rats fed on a diet containing NK603 — a seed variety made tolerant to dousing of Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller— or given water with Roundup at levels permitted in the United States, died earlier than those on a standard diet.

However, Whole Foods stores are selling so many unlabeled genetically modified foods. That fact was admitted in October, 2011 by Whole Foods in its own blog post, after a bombshell investigative video released by Infowars.com. Some customers were shocked to discover that Whole Foods sells GMOs in their store. The majority of customers of Whole Foods, it turned out, had no idea the company was selling GMOs for such a long time.

The animals on the GM diet was suffering mammary tumors, as well as severe liver and kidney damage. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Food and Chemical Toxicology and presented at a news conference in London in September, 2012. The researchers said 50 percent of males and 70 percent of females died prematurely, compared with only 30 percent and 20 percent in the control group.

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ORGANICS AREN’T AS GREEN AS YOU THINK Organic farms are less polluting for a given area of land, but are often more polluting per unit of food produced. An organic label is not a straightforward guarantee of the most environmentally friendly product.

Many people think organic would be the best option out there for meat and milk, but that isn’t always the case. Often organic meat and milk producers crowd their cattle into feed lots after only a short time on grass. The grain is organic, but the sentiment isn’t. The result is concentrated waste and pollution. A separate new study from Oxford University in the UK found that organic farming may not be better for the environment. The researchers cited that organic products such as milk, cereals, and pork generate much higher greenhouse gas emissions than their conventional counterparts. Moreover, organic TV dinners are not good for the planet. There are a few reasons to support this idea. First of all, there is too much energy waste on the packaging, such as plastic and paper. Secondly, even organic frozen TV dinners make use of loopholes in the USDA certification system to

throw in preservatives and other unsavory fillers. As Michael Pollan famously pointed out, organic TV dinners can run to 31 ingredients, including natural chicken flavor, high-oleic safflower oil, xanthin and guar gum, soy lecithin, and carrageenan. Last but not the least, organic TV dinners had to travel a long distance to get to your supermarket, and they did so in an energy-intense refrigerated truck, which is just one more reason to resist the siren song of the microwave dinner. Today, organic agriculture is similar to conventional agriculture which creates so much pollution to the Earth. As Michael Pollen discussed in his 2001 New York Times article “Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex,” it’s more likely your organic milk came from cows that spend their days in lots, eating grain and attached to milking machines — just like conventional cows.

ORGANICS AREN’T AS GREEN AS YOU THINK •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Organic TV dinners are not good for the environment. There is the packaging: plastic upon plastic, with a box outside, just for one meal. It is not good for the environment to wander the aisles of your health foods stores, popping healthy guava, mini bananas, lychee berries, and any other tantalizing fruits in your shopping cart while the snow is swirling outside, and while these fruits may have “USDA Organic” emblazoned in green on their little sticker, they may be less green a lot than you think. That is, unless you’re reading this from local areas. Also, it took a lot of energy to ship you those exotic fruits, tender asparagus shoots, and even mundane strawberries if you’re picking them up in December.

Some of the plastic containers are not recyclable, like #6 plastic containers. The trash man takes #6 plastic containers, but the trash man does not recycle them. Some of the containers people may be keeping to reuse, but they will eventually be thrown in the trash also. When grocery shopping, please check what type of plastic container you are purchasing to make sure you can recycle it. If you cannot, then you may either find alternative packaging or not purchase the product.

In addition, when organic cookies or granola bars are packaged up in single servings, it means you’ll be throwing away a lot of non-recyclable materials.

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ORGANICS AREN'T AS GREEN AS YOU THINK •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Not all plastic is recyclable 23

The certified organic cropland in the U.S. are adding 144,000 acres per year

Organic farming produces less food and requires twice the acreage to produce the same crop as modern farming techniques, which goes against the environmentalist ideas of opposing deforestation.

Organic agriculture is already causing expansion of farmlands into wildlife habitats in less-developed countries, as organic farming requires much more land to produce the same amount of food as nonorganic farming does. Ironically, the degradation of wildlife habitat in Third World nations is happening to satisfy the organic food demands of wealthy consumers in Europe and the United States who see themselves as environmentalists. Many organic customers simply do not realize the inherent nitrogen limitation of organic farming and the toll their organic preferences are taking on global wildlife.

class and therefore a vast appetite for affordable and nourishing food. If, in fact, organic methods are less productive, scaling up the production of organic food at will require more land, contribute to deforestation and cost more than growing our food using conventional methods. That suggests that organic methods alone can’t feed the world in a sustainable way. It is also important to remember organic farming requires far more than just the land directly involved in growing a crop. Organic farming systems must devote extra land to produce organic nitrogen to apply to crops that can’t fix their own nitrogen.

The reality that organic farming is less productive than conventional farming is apparently difficult for many organic believers to accept. That’s a problem for fans of organic because the world has a limited supply of farmland, a billion or so undernourished people, a growing population, an expanding middle

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Graphic design is all about solving various problems.

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ORGANIC FOOD IS NOT A CURE-ALL ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

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ORGANIC FOOD IS NOT A CURE-ALL •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHALLENGES

Organic food has become a wildly lucrative business for Big Food and a premium-price-means-premium-profit section of the grocery store. The consumer demand for organic food has risen quickly over the past decade. Several new issues are emerging in the organic industry.

Since the late 1990s, U.S. organic production has more than doubled, but the consumer market has grown even faster. Organic food sales have more than quintupled, increasing from $7.36 billion in 2001 to $31.5 billion in 2011. Moreover, according to the Organic Trade Association, 66 percent of American consumers buy organic products at least occasionally, and 33 percent buy organic products weekly in 2011. This rapid growth highlights some challenges still need to be overcome in the organic sector. Highly consumer demand for organic food has widened, and the fast-paced growth of organic industry has led to several new issues . First, most consumers believe that all organic food is healthier than conventional food, and they keep buying organic products without understanding that organic and conventional are exactly the same in some cases.

Second, organic products’ safety is still an issue but consumer concern has decreased. Producers and consumers of organic products, who are concerned about chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and antibiotics in our food, ignore the packaging encasing the food after it’s produced. In fact, plastic containers have been used in the food industry very commonly, but plastic is not just plastic. It always contains additives that affect its strength, flexibility, color, and even resistance to bacteria. And there’s no labeling law requiring disclosure of any of that. Third, many organic products sold at supermarkets and natural food stores are not local. In fact, some organic products are not even domestic. The reason is they are dependent on large distributors for the product, and they simply don’t have enough access to domestic products in certain categories. And, the greenhouse gas emitted when organic products are transported from great distances mitigates the environmental benefits of growing the food organically.

CHALLENGES •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Fourth, walking along the aisles of a supermarket, it can seem impossible to tell the difference between “USDA Organic” and “ free-range,” “natural” and “grass-fed”— even choosing an organic meat isn't as straightforward as the label would have you believe. In addition, according to a survey from The Organic Consumers Association, 2011, indicates consumers are confused about the organic product labeling. They are also confused by the listing of the certifying agency or wording such as “contains certified organic ingredients” and falsely assume it means the whole product is organic.

These five issues of organic industry were found through the extensive research that I did for almost four months. Some issues are overlapping, which means they are significant for the consumer, and need to be solved. In addition, based on various articles, surveys, and interviews that I searched, I strongly believe that these problems are worth considering and solving by utilizing graphic design.

Last but not least, most organic consumers seem not to know enough about how their food made it to the grocery store shelves when they go shopping, and there is no national movement to ensure access to domestic organic foods. On the other hand, some consumers still believe that all the organic products are healthier than conventional products, no matter if it is highly processed or not.

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MAKING A WISE FOOD CHOICE

Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables in general is the point. Buying all organic isn’t a priority. You might opt to buy organic specifically when you realize some organic products and conventionals are exactly the same.

Various marketing professionals were playing the commercial strategy by using terms, like “organic,” and “natural” and getting consumers to pay more for something that may be worth less. When it comes to organic products, marketers have hit the jackpot. How have consumers have been enticed to pay more for products that are potentially less safe than their conventional counterparts? The organic food scam depends on tapping into cultural myths about nature, playing upon widespread misunderstanding of risk, and flattering consumers into believing that those who choose organic food are “empowered.”

worth less. According to Environmental Working Group, soft-skinned fruits and vegetables, like peaches, apples and bell peppers, retain the most amount of pesticides; therefore, buying organic versions makes sense. On the other hand, onions, avocados and corn are practically pesticide-free whether they are organically grown or not. My goal for this issue is to convey an idea that the organic product is not the only choice to a healthy life, and fresher is better by designing a series of posters. These posters will be posted in various places, such as bus stations, farmers markets, and on billboard.

Marketers of organic food are not allowed to claim that the food is safer or more nutritious, since it is neither. However consumers are led to believe that by choosing “natural” food grown with “pesticidesfree,” they are making an “empowered” choice of safer and healthier food. In that way, they can be induced to pay more for food that may actually be RIGHT: A poster conveys the concept of “organic and conventional products may are the same in some cases.” Consumers should pay more attention on choosing the food wisely.

MAKING A WISE FOOD CHOICE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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FOOD PACKAGING RELATED TO FOOD SAFETY It’s very difficult for consumers to know that the chemicals added to plastic food containers are safe or not if they are not required to be proven safe before entering the market. How can consumers make decisions if they don’t even know what these chemicals are?

The safety of food packaging is still an issue but consumer concern decreased, says Deloitte’s 2010 Consumer Food Safety Survey. According to the survey, 90 percent consumers in America believe food-related recalls are on the rise, compared to findings from Deloitte’s 2009 Consumer Food Safety Survey, fewer people seem to be anxious about them. The results show 65 percent of consumers surveyed are concerned about the quality of the food they eat, a 17 percent decrease from 2009. Consumers’ need should become more aware and engaged in choosing the products they purchase. Some consumers view food safety and quality as a important issue, and are looking to manufacturers, food companies and government regulatory bodies to drive communication, as well as tackle the food quality and safety issues, but it seems like numerous people are still ignoring the issue, especially on plastic food containers’ problems. Though the rules governing organic food require health inspections

and pest-management plans. However, organic certification technically has nothing to do with food safety, since there may be some increased health benefits with organics, people extrapolate that it’s safer in all the food containers. For solving the issue, I am going to design a book about food packaging problems. This book will focus on the relationship between food packaging and toxic chemicals. How can manufacturers of organic products tell consumers that they want to protect the environment and “saving the planet” when they are relying on a large number of plastic wraps, plastic bottles, plastic containers, plastic bags, and without question? In addition, avoiding packaging that contains BPA is not enough. That is just one ingredient consumers happen to know about. How about what we do not? Consumers demand full disclosure of ingredients from food companies, and how about possible ingredients leaching from food containers?

FOOD PACKAGING RELATED TO FOOD SAFETY •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

TOP: The cover of “THINK OUTSIDE THE BIN.”

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BUILDING A GARDEN CITY

If you’re buying “green”, you should consider the distance the food travels. If it’s travelling further, then some of the benefits of organic crops are cancelled out by different extra environmental costs.

Compare the cost of “food miles” between organic and conventionally grown produce, there’s not very much difference in the cost to the environment. Food miles are defined as the distance that food travels from the field to the grocery store. In 2011, feeding Americans accounts for about 15% of the U.S. energy use, and the average food item travels more than 5,000 miles from farm to table. It seems obvious that eating locally goes a long way to reducing food system energy use. According to WJLA, the ABC News affiliate in Washington, D.C., many of the supermarket chain’s organic products are marked “Product of China,” included spinach, sugar, and, ironically, a “California Blend” of kale, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower.

offices, sidewalks, and many other places you see in a modern city, San Francisco. The main reason that why I chose to grow food in the city is because the majority of people are living in the city. It could make a lot more sense growing food where people are going to live. The citizens can take care of their food and make sure the quality of it anytime in the city. Moreover, growing food in the city can reduce a lot of energy waste by traveling food from a long distance away. It has the least-negative impact on the environment, and the most freshest fruits and vegetables will be readily available everywhere.

I am going to solve this issue by implementing a campaign, named “Building a Garden City.” It’s going to convey an idea about growing fruits and vegetables on roofs, abandoned buildings, your RIGHT: The giant campaign poster hang on the building for catching people’s eyes. It combines image and font to communicate the idea to the people.

BUILDING A GARDEN CITY •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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ORGANIC LABELS’ MANAGEMENT

According to Mambo Sprouts Marketing survey, 2011, many organic consumers are still looking for more clarity and definition in organic product classifications.

Products that are labeled “All Natural” or “Organic” can be confusing and misleading to consumers. Making sense of organic labeling can be difficult, and many consumers do not exactly understand the meaning of various organic labels in the market. In addition, organic labels may have the different meaning between one and the other. For instance, a product whose label states that it is “made with organic ingredients”, more than likely contains only a few ingredients that are grown organically and it can still be mixed with various chemical ingredients or contain various ingredients that are chemically processed. It is significant for the consumer to know and get the information immediately about the food they are purchasing. My goal is to design an app for every consumer to search for the clear content and the meaning of various organic labels on the market. The organic labels can be defined into the following categories: Single-Ingredient Foods, Multi-Ingredient Foods,

Made With Organic Ingredients, 100% Organic, Organic, and other. The consumer can distinguish the difference from many organic labels after taking a photograph of each label through their cellphones. Moreover, they will have much more understanding about organic labeling while using the app.

ORGANIC LABELS’ MANAGEMENT •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

TOP: The way to use the app is easy and convenient. Fisrt, take a photo of a label. Second, hit the magnifier icon, then the information about the label will show on the screen immediately.

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TRACKING YOUR FOOD SOURCES

A better understanding of our food sources will foster an increase in buying locally, and this, in turn, will strengthen the agricultural infrastructure in that region, and will help consumers make more healthful food choices.

Most consumers who buy organic food believe the benefits. They think it’s pesticide-free, much more wholesome, and better for the environment, though it can tend to be a little more expensive. However, an increasing amount of organic foods are coming from China, which instantly throws into question the food source. That could include your favorites from Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods, which brands itself as the nation’s organic foods leader. WJLA, the ABC News affiliate in Washington, D.C., reported, 2012, that the “leading food retailer selling the image that local and organic is better for the environment and better for you,” but that may not be the product consumers are getting. In my viewpoint, it is important for consumers to know where their food comes from and how it makes its way to their dinner tables; therefore, I am going to design a website based on tracking the

food source. This website is going to focus on how food made it to the supermarket shelves. It can get pretty involved-growing, harvesting, packaging, shipping, and that’s not only for foods as simple as an apple or cucumber, but for items like crackers and cookies that are highly processed, and things get even more complicated.

TRACKING YOUR FOOD SOURCES •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

DAY 7 » ROW PLANTING

These are the placement of rows within the garden, and farmers made a furrow at the correct depth along the row. They spaced seeds as evenly as possible. Covered the seeds with fine soil and then firm them in with the back of a hoe to make sure that all the seeds are in contact with the soil. Water gently.

TOP: This web page shows the process of growing the vegetable, the method of planting, and the way farmers treat it.

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INTRODUCTION / WHAT’S ORGANIC, EXACTLY?

WHAT’S ORGANIC, EXACTLY?

Keep it in mind

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Nutrition is key when it comes to our health. What we put into our bodies everyday plays an important role to determine our health over the years, and there’s no better time than the present to choose the food wisely. 65 23

REFERENCES •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION ORGANIC INDUSTRY TIMELINE 01 Camp Joy, Boulder Creek, History of Organics, http://www.omorganics.org/page.php?pageid=82 02 Carl Copeland, “Organic Food History and Current Trends,” February, 2008, http://ezinearticles.com 03 Organic Industry Timeline, http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com WHAT'S ORGANIC, EXACTLY? 01 Suzanne Robin, “USDA DEFINITION OF ORGANIC,” January, 2011, http://www.livestrong.com 02 Brian Dunning, “Organic Food Myths,” January, 2007, http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4019 03 Alan Henry, “What Does Organic Really Mean, and Is It Worth My Money?” September, 2012, http:// lifehacker.com/5941881/what-does-organic-really-mean-and-should-i-buy-it ORGANIC IS BIG, BIG BUSINESS 01 Sarah Newman, “The Ugly Truth Behind Organic Food,” May, 2009, http://www.alternet.org/story/140001/the_ugly_truth_behind_organic_food 02 Michael Pollan, “Behind the Organic-Industrial Complex,” May, 2001, http://www.nytimes. com/2001/05/13/magazine/13ORGANIC.html?pagewanted=all 03 Dawn Thilmany, “The US Organic Industry: Important Trends and Emerging Issues for the USDA,” April, 2006, http://organic.colostate.edu/documents/Thilmany_paper.pdf 04 Jake Whitney, “AGRIBUSINESS / Organic Erosion / Will the term organic still mean anything when it's adopted whole hog by behemoths such as Wal-Mart?” January, 2007, http://www.sfgate.com/green/ article/AGRIBUSINESS-Organic-Erosion-Will-the-term-2653675.php#photo-2131967 ORGANIC FOOD MARKET TRADE 01 Heather Nauta, “Is Organic Really Organic? Or Is It A Marketing Ploy?” August, 2011, http://www. healthyeatingstartshere.com/nutrition/is-organic-really-organic 02 Brie Cadman, “Do Corporate Giants Own Your Favorite Small Brand?” September, 2011, http://www. divinecaroline.com/38/79025-do-corporate-giants-own-favorite 03 Max Goldberg, “Thomson Reuters Poll: 58% of People Prefer Organic Food,” July, 2011, http://livingmaxwell.com/58-prefer-organic-food 04 “The Thomson Reuters-NPR Health Poll surveys — Organic Food”, June, 2011, http://www.factsforhealthcare.com/pressroom/NPR_report_OrganicFoods.pdf 05 Ted Agres, “Quest for Organic Food Market Share Pits Purists Against Pragmatists,” March, 2012, http://www.foodquality.com/details/article/1480261/Quest_for_Organic_Food_Market_Share_Pits_Purists_Against_Pragmatists.html?tzcheck=1&tzcheck=1&tzcheck=1

06 Sustainable Food News, “U.S. organic food industry creates 572,000 jobs in 2010,” April, 2012, https://www.sustainablefoodnews.com/printstory.php?news_id=15987 07 Dan Rossman, “Organic Trends,” January, 2011, http://expeng.anr.msu.edu/uploads/files/31/Organic%20Markeing%20Trends%20in%20US%20for%202012%20.pdf

FINDING THE TRUTH BEHIND ORGANIC LABELS CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION ABOUT ORGANICS 01 Gabino Iglesias, “Organic Food: Healthy Option or Farce?” August, 2010, http://www.businesstoday. org/magazine/its-always-christmas-washington/organic-food-healthy-option-or-farce?page=1 02 Manuel Villacorta, “Consumers Prefer Organic Food, Survey Says,” July, 2011, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/22/consumers-prefer-organic-food_n_906988.html 03 Jennifer Chait, “New Health Poll Says 58% of People Prefer Organic Over Conventional Food,” July, 2011, http://organic.about.com/b/2011/07/24/new-health-poll-says-58-of-people-prefer-organic-over-conventional-food.htm ORGANIC FOOD ISN'T HEALTHIER 01 Katherine J. Chen, “How Organic is Organic Food?” August, 2010, http://earth911.com/ news/2010/03/08/how-organic-is-organic-food/ 02 Shannon Pettypiece, “Organic Food Adds No Vitamins for Extra Cost: Research,” September, 2012, http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-09-03/organic-food-adds-no-vitamins-for-extra-cost 03 Genevra Pittman, “Organic food no healthier than non-organic: study,” September, 2012, http://www. reuters.com/article/2012/09/03/us-organic-food-idUSBRE8820M920120903 04 Dr. Ruth MacDonald, “Organic versus Conventional Foods: Is There a Nutritional Difference?” November, 2010, http://www.bestfoodfacts.org/blog/post/nutritional-difference-organic 05 Aaron Carroll, “Healthy food doesn’t mean organic,” September, 2012, http://www.cnn. com/2012/09/11/opinion/carroll-organic-food/index.html 06 Elizabeth Weise, “Here’s Proof That Organic Foods Aren’t Much More Nutritious Than Regular Foods,” September, 2012, http://www.businessinsider.com/youre-wasting-money-if-you-think-organicfoods-have-more-nutrients-2012-9 07 Joel Forman, “Organic Foods: Health and Environmental Advantages and Disadvantages,” October, 2012, http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2012/10/15/peds.2012-2579 08 Sharon Palmer, “Beware of organic junk food,” September, 2012, http://www.chicagotribune.com/ health/sns-201209251600--tms--premhnstr--k-e20120926-20120926,0,4593825.story

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ORGANICS NOT ALWAYS SAFER 01 P.J. Huffstutter, “California organic beef producer recalls meat over E.coli concerns,” January, 2011, http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/01/organic-beef-recall-e-coli-usda-fsis-first-class-foods. html 02 Kim Severson and Andrew Martin, “It’s Organic, but Does That Mean It’s Safer?” March, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/dining/04cert.html?pagewanted=all&_r=2& 03 Aaron Dykes, “Whole Foods Censors GMO Expose,” October, 2012, http://www.pakalertpress. com/2012/10/03/whole-foods-censors-gmo-expose/ 04 Ben Hirschler and Kate Kelland, “Study finds tumors in rats fed on Monsanto’s GM corn,” September, 2012, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49086360/ns/health-health_care/t/study-finds-tumors-rats-fedmonsantos-gm-corn/#.UL8dB5ihAy5 05 Mike Adams, “Whole Foods caught in GMO marketing deception, false advertising—here’s the proof,” October, 2012, http://www.naturalnews.com/037467_Whole_Foods_marketing_fraud_GMO.html ORGANIC FOOD IS NOT AS GREEN AS YOU THINK 01 Abigail Haddad, “The Problem With Organic Food,” June, 2008, http://www.american.com/archive/2008/june-06-08/the-problem-with-organic-food 02 Alden Wicker, “Greenwashing For Dinner: 8 Faux Green Foods To Avoid,” September, 2010, http:// www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/23/greenwashing-for-dinner-7_n_734594.html?utm_hp_ref=organicfood#s142530&title=Organic_Feed_Lot 03 Alex Avery, “Organic Food Industry Is Duping Consumers on Health, Environment Issues,” December, 2007, http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2007/12/01/organic-food-industry-duping-consumers-health-environment-issues 04 Michael Marshall, “Organic food: no better for you, or the planet,” September, 2012, http://www. newscientist.com/article/dn22240-organic-food-no-better-for-you-or-the-planet.html

ON-LINE VIDEOS 01 THElNFOWARRlOR, “Whole Foods Caught in False Advertising Scandal,” October, 2012, http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7auEac1nmw 02 SustainableGuidance, “Agriculture: The Basics of Our Industrial Food System in 5 minutes,” January, 2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04T23houM4s 03 WIVBTV, “Study: no benefits from organic food,” October, 2012, http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=f4AbQTciJ1w 04 Amy Jamieson-Petonic, “Organic Food Can Be Unhealthy,” May, 2012, http://www.huffingtonpost. com/2012/02/17/organic-food_n_1283231.html?utm_hp_ref=organic-food

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CREDITS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CREDITS

I would like to thank all the people who helped me a lot on the process of designing the book, as well as: Al Hebegger Ally Lu Amy Shipley Andrew Chiang Anson Chiang Arial Chou Apple Xiao Coraly Rosario Duke Liu Eva Chiu Gino Khadijih Maggiore Hsuan Ying Fang Jasper Lin Jeremy Stout Ji Young Yoon Jill Ballard Nan Li Mallory Huang Mick Coyle Ming Chiang Paola Hebegger Phil Hamlett Pratik Ya Lun Yen Yo Yo Li Zach Manners

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