Pesticide Food As Good As Organics, Says Minister

By Andrew Woodcock; Alison Kershaw

BRITAIN’s agricultural industry has been split over claims there is no conclusive evidence that organic food is healthier than products grown by conventional methods. David Miliband, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has described organic produce as ‘a lifestyle choice’ and insisted that food grown with the use of pesticides and other chemicals should not be regarded as second best.

His comments come as a blow to the organic food industry, which is keen to obtain official recognition of the nutritional and environmental benefits of chemical- free farming.

And Mr Miliband’s comments prompted an angry reaction from some organic farmers and associations.

Robin Maynard, campaigns director for the Soil Association, said, ‘It has been shown over the years that there is a difference between food produced organically and that produced using industrial methods.’

He said research had shown that organic produce contained higher levels of vitamin C, and recent research into organic milk has found it contains higher levels of Omega 3.

Pete Glanville, secretary of the Shetland Organic Producers Group, which farms vegetables and sheep, said it was important to look at the content of foods.

He said, ‘Our producers are dedicated to producing for themselves, for their friends and families, food stuff which they know is local and is free of chemicals in its production.

‘You only have to look at the list of things that goes into creating lots of things, to realise just how much we are not putting into our bodies by eating organic.’

Organic farming at present accounts for around 4% of total farm produce grown in Britain.

Mr Glanville added, ‘We are not saying the other 96% which is farmed conventionally is rubbish, or second grade. We personally are making a choice about what goes into our bodies.’

But Mr Miliband’s

comments have been backed by Dr Beckie Lang, a registered public health nutritionist from Conwy, who said, ‘In terms of nutritional value he’s right.

‘There are no benefits we know of nutritionally from eating organic than inorganic.

‘But the difference is the pesticides and chemicals used, which is something for people to make a personal choice about,’ she added.

‘The important thing is for people to eat five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day.

‘It’s more important for people to do that, than to worry about whether it’s organic or not.

‘If people can afford organic, then great, because there are benefits, but the main thing is for people to eat healthily.’

And Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmer’s Union, said he had seen ‘no evidence’ to prove organic food is healthier.

He added, ‘If there’s a small but growing percentage of consumers who want a different product, then that’s a great opportunity for members.

‘But I have a real problem with conventional methods being demeaned at every opportunity.’

Sales of organic food increased by 30% to pounds 1.6bn in the UK last year, according to figures from the Soil Association.

The organisation states that organic food does not contain many of the additives allowed in non-organic food, as well as being better for wildlife, causing lower pollution from sprays and producing less carbon dioxide and less dangerous wastes. Around 350 pesticides are allowed in conventional farming, and an estimated 4.5bn litres of chemicals are used on British farms each year.

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