Does Organic still Matter?

With Big Agri-business now firmly in control of the organic products available in most grocery stores, how much does buying organic really matter? No longer does organic signify small family farms and local, seasonal goods. In the case of dairy if one were to visit a Dean foods, Horizon Dairy operation, it would be indistinguishable from its non-organic line. They are both feed lot operations, and ship products all over North America. Much of the produce that is organic is grown half way around the world, and shipped by airplane. The carbon footprint of this produce is far higher than non-orgainc produce grown anywhere in the United States. Is that what we are really trying to accomplish when we purchase orgainc products?Given the efforts of large agri-business to homogenize our food supply, it has become fairly impossible to eat a healthy diet and eat only locally grown meat and produce. There are still a great number of family farms in small communiteis across these United States, and we are doing ourselves the biggest favor of all when we support our local faremers, even if they are not organic. Farmers markets and roadside stands are a great source of high quality local produce. The money you spend at these places stays in your community, and doens't flow to large corporate interest. Even better, plan now to plant a garden next year. There are few things that will ever taste as good as home grown tomatoes.

Homegrown tomatoes homegrown tomatoes
What'd life be without homegrown tomatoes
Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love & homegrown tomatoes

Guy Clark - Refrain from "Homegrown Tomatoes"