Wild rice, peaches, avocados, brocolli, lettuce, ... the list goes on! California is the American produce center because of our wonderful year round weather, fertile valleys and access to markets. And Americans can keep this asset robust by buying and cooking American foods!
Want a cookbook that is all about California grown foods? It's free on the CaliforniaGrown.org website!
Want a cookbook that is all about California grown foods? It's free on the CaliforniaGrown.org website!
California’s
agriculture touches and enhances our lives in surprisingly simple ways.
This California Grown cookbook and inspiration guide helps you
experience the best our state has to offer. Whether you’re sampling one
of the featured recipes and pairing it with a glass of California wine,
arranging a beautiful bouquet of California cut flowers or taking in the
scenery around you while relaxing on a durable deck made of California
lumber, you’re sure to enjoy the Golden State’s unique agricultural
bounty.
Download the Cookbook
Within Experience California, you will find delicious recipes from some of the state’s top chefs, complete with wine pairings.
California is the leading producer of fresh peaches,
plums and nectarines in the United States producing 60% of the
peaches, 95% of the plums and 90% of the nectarines.
Most of these fruits are grown within a 50-mile radius of Reedley, a quiet California Central Valley town near Fresno. Other growing areas exist near Bakersfield, Modesto and Sacramento. Approximately 1,500 farmers, small and large, grow these three fruits commercially, hand picking them in the orchards and hauling them to packing sheds.
Most of these fruits are grown within a 50-mile radius of Reedley, a quiet California Central Valley town near Fresno. Other growing areas exist near Bakersfield, Modesto and Sacramento. Approximately 1,500 farmers, small and large, grow these three fruits commercially, hand picking them in the orchards and hauling them to packing sheds.
Guy Fieri Promotes California Grown Products
Guy Fieri is known for creating food that is as fun, fearless, and
fundamental as his larger-than-life personality. Check out a video from
his recent visit to Sacramento where he talked with local California
growers…
Remember the little fruit stands that used to be the norm along suburban and rural roads? I grew us shopping at our neighbors' farm stands...and even sold homegrown dill and apples in our own miniature version as a rural version of a kids' lemonaide stand. Can you imagine the sparse customers for dill? :-) But we actually had a few regular customers who needed dill for their pickle canning...and it gave me my first taste of agricultural marketing!
California is a big state...an agricultural state and a state with millions of potential "local shoppers". Now we just need to understand WHY that is important. My husband and I were discussing the news I read this morning about a man from Croatia flying to New York to buy clothes because they are such a bargain right now!!!!! What?!? Croatia -- that war ravaged country that is trying to recover -- they are flying to New York City -- one of the most expensive US cities in which to live? What's changing this drastically?
One word. We've lost our local manufacturing // and agriculture.
That's why shopping at local farm stands, local farmers markets and insisting that your grocery store carry locally grown produce rather than imports is important.
Barbara Steinberg recently wrote about how she's trying hard to buy local...and how it's not always easy!
There are great farm, wine, and harvest trails throughout the state.
Barbara includes a wonderful list of FARM TRAILS in California on her blog. I hope that if you live in California, or are coming to visit this summer, you'll support our local California farmers ... and treat yourself to the succulent, fresh, tasty products of our all-American soil! Barbara's list of FARM TRAILS is worth exploring!
California is a big state...an agricultural state and a state with millions of potential "local shoppers". Now we just need to understand WHY that is important. My husband and I were discussing the news I read this morning about a man from Croatia flying to New York to buy clothes because they are such a bargain right now!!!!! What?!? Croatia -- that war ravaged country that is trying to recover -- they are flying to New York City -- one of the most expensive US cities in which to live? What's changing this drastically?
One word. We've lost our local manufacturing // and agriculture.
That's why shopping at local farm stands, local farmers markets and insisting that your grocery store carry locally grown produce rather than imports is important.
Barbara Steinberg recently wrote about how she's trying hard to buy local...and how it's not always easy!
Buy
I really took it to heart when learning about the whole "farm to table" philosophy, which promotes buying produce that's been grown within 100 miles of home. Let me tell you something...it's tough. But I try. And failing that, I tell myself, "It must at least have been grown in California." When that doesn't work...at the very least, it should be grown in the U.S. How hard could that be? Well, sometimes really, really hard. Why? Because labeling is so misleading and even with produce you to read the fine print. Haas California avocados are a great example. You see them everywhere. But many times, those buttery fruits are grown in Chile. CaliforniaInsier.typepad.com
Barbara includes a wonderful list of FARM TRAILS in California on her blog. I hope that if you live in California, or are coming to visit this summer, you'll support our local California farmers ... and treat yourself to the succulent, fresh, tasty products of our all-American soil! Barbara's list of FARM TRAILS is worth exploring!
The Organic Center has researched a new method to quickly and cost-effectively track
changes in soil quality brought about by the transition to organic
farming.
Alan Franzluebbers, Ph.D. and Richard Haney, Ph.D., two leading soil scientists working for the Agricultural Research Service, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wrote The Organic Center's Critical Issue Report (CIR 2006.2), "Assessing Soil Quality in Organic Agriculture." The full report is available for free at: http://www.organic-center.org/science.environment.php.
The report explains why better tools are needed to manage the transition of soils when farming methods change from chemical-based to organic.
"How we manage soil and how the soil responds to this management are critical issues facing the long-term success of our society," says Alan Franzluebbers, ecologist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Watkinsville, Georgia and co-author of the report. The proposed minimum-data-set (MDS) approach for assessing soil quality is composed of routine chemical and biological assays that can be carried out in most soil testing laboratories for a collective cost of less than $100 per sample.
In 2007, The Organic Center plans to begin a national survey of soil quality on conventional, transitional and organic acreage. The Center's project will apply, test and refine the MDS approach, and integrate the measures into an index of soil quality.
"Farmers and scientists have recognized for decades that well-managed organic systems improve soil quality," says Chuck Benbrook, Ph.D., and chief scientist of The Organic Center. "But better tools and solid data are needed to quantify these benefits and identify the best strategies to maximize them."
First, development of practical tools for farmers, crop consultants, extension specialists, and agronomists to use in the field in mapping the course for cost-effective transitions from conventional production to organic management. New tools are needed to determine how quickly a soil can be transitioned, how resilient the soil is likely to be during the transition process, and how soils and crop yields are likely to respond to key organic farming practices and inputs. Soil microbial activity, in particular, can offer a benchmark for transitioning from conventional to organic farming systems.
"There is a need to provide farmers with a soil test tool to guide a cost-effective transition," says Richard Haney, soil chemist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Temple, Texas. "Microorganisms are very sensitive to changes in the soil and we can take advantage of this fact by tracking the impact our management practices have on soil microbes."
The Organic Center's second goal is to develop methods to quantify the benefits to farmers, rural communities, and the nation from improvements in soil quality possible through organic management. Key benefits that will follow expansion of organic production, and which need to be quantified, include: increased efficiency of nitrogen use; less reliance on purchased sources of nutrients; reduced runoff and leaching of nutrients and pesticides, and hence improved water quality; more stable crop yields; and higher returns to farm labor and management.
The Organic Center's next Critical Issue Report focusing on soil quality will be released in the spring, 2007. It will address the potential of organic farming systems to increase the efficiency of nitrogen use in corn production in the Midwest.
The Organic Center is a 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 2002 to present and provide peer-reviewed scientific evidence on how organic products benefit human and environmental health. The Organic Center's research and educational efforts are funded through individuals, foundations, businesses and government programs.
For information about The Organic Center, its current programs and scientific reports visit www.organic-center.org.
Alan Franzluebbers, Ph.D. and Richard Haney, Ph.D., two leading soil scientists working for the Agricultural Research Service, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wrote The Organic Center's Critical Issue Report (CIR 2006.2), "Assessing Soil Quality in Organic Agriculture." The full report is available for free at: http://www.organic-center.org/science.environment.php.
The report explains why better tools are needed to manage the transition of soils when farming methods change from chemical-based to organic.
"How we manage soil and how the soil responds to this management are critical issues facing the long-term success of our society," says Alan Franzluebbers, ecologist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Watkinsville, Georgia and co-author of the report. The proposed minimum-data-set (MDS) approach for assessing soil quality is composed of routine chemical and biological assays that can be carried out in most soil testing laboratories for a collective cost of less than $100 per sample.
In 2007, The Organic Center plans to begin a national survey of soil quality on conventional, transitional and organic acreage. The Center's project will apply, test and refine the MDS approach, and integrate the measures into an index of soil quality.
"Farmers and scientists have recognized for decades that well-managed organic systems improve soil quality," says Chuck Benbrook, Ph.D., and chief scientist of The Organic Center. "But better tools and solid data are needed to quantify these benefits and identify the best strategies to maximize them."
The degradation of soil quality continues in the United States as a result of erosion, the compaction of soils, leaching of nutrients, and loss of soil structure and biodiversity.
Organic farming methods have great potential to reverse these losses by increasing soil organic matter content, building the pools of nutrients cycling within soils, and enhancing soil microbial communities. The Organic Center's work on soil quality seeks to accomplish two goals.
First, development of practical tools for farmers, crop consultants, extension specialists, and agronomists to use in the field in mapping the course for cost-effective transitions from conventional production to organic management. New tools are needed to determine how quickly a soil can be transitioned, how resilient the soil is likely to be during the transition process, and how soils and crop yields are likely to respond to key organic farming practices and inputs. Soil microbial activity, in particular, can offer a benchmark for transitioning from conventional to organic farming systems.
"There is a need to provide farmers with a soil test tool to guide a cost-effective transition," says Richard Haney, soil chemist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Temple, Texas. "Microorganisms are very sensitive to changes in the soil and we can take advantage of this fact by tracking the impact our management practices have on soil microbes."
The Organic Center's second goal is to develop methods to quantify the benefits to farmers, rural communities, and the nation from improvements in soil quality possible through organic management. Key benefits that will follow expansion of organic production, and which need to be quantified, include: increased efficiency of nitrogen use; less reliance on purchased sources of nutrients; reduced runoff and leaching of nutrients and pesticides, and hence improved water quality; more stable crop yields; and higher returns to farm labor and management.
The Organic Center's next Critical Issue Report focusing on soil quality will be released in the spring, 2007. It will address the potential of organic farming systems to increase the efficiency of nitrogen use in corn production in the Midwest.
The Organic Center is a 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 2002 to present and provide peer-reviewed scientific evidence on how organic products benefit human and environmental health. The Organic Center's research and educational efforts are funded through individuals, foundations, businesses and government programs.
For information about The Organic Center, its current programs and scientific reports visit www.organic-center.org.
Science is showing that organic fruits and vegetables not only taste better, but they are better for you. Nutrient content in organic fruits and vegetables is, on average, higher than in conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. In many cases, the amount of antioxidants found in organic fruits and vegetables is 30-percent higher compared to conventionally grown produce.
Taste plays a huge factor in converting consumers to try new foods and according to a Minnesota Opinion Research Inc. poll, 43 percent of consumers say taste is a major reason why they purchase organic fruits and vegetables. So what are the other 57 percent waiting for?
"People have a lot of misconceptions about what an organic meal tastes like," says celebrity chef Akasha Richmond. Eighty-five to 90 percent of the ingredients she uses in her A-list recipes are organic. "Because organic is associated with something that is good for you, people think it will be too healthy and have no taste. But after they try it, most people are shocked at how much more flavor some of their favorite foods have."
And while chefs like Richmond have known instinctively for years that organic produce can add flavor to their menus, a new state of science review, published by The Organic Center, shows why organic fruits and vegetables often taste better.
Published studies have analyzed the sensory appeal of organic fruits and vegetables compared to their conventional counterparts.
Organic fruits and vegetables tend to score higher in taste because they are sweeter than conventionally grown foods. Scientists say this is because of the nutrient density of organic produce and their smaller size. Conventional farming methods are designed to produce bigger fruits and vegetables, but increasing cells size adds more water, diluting the concentrations of both vitamins and natural flavors.
Organic apples, strawberries and tomatoes showed some of the most significant differences in taste, according to the report.
The report also dispels another misconception about freshness. Contrary to what most people believe, organic fruits and vegetables often have a longer shelf life than conventionally grown foods. The higher levels of antioxidants, considered a natural preservative, are actually part of what enables some organic fruits and vegetables to store longer. The other contributing factor is the lower levels of nitrates that come from synthetic fertilizers, which aren't used in organic farming.
Science is showing that organic fruits and vegetables not only taste better, but they are better for you. Nutrient content in organic fruits and vegetables is, on average, higher than in conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. In many cases, the amount of antioxidants found in organic fruits and vegetables is 30-percent higher compared to conventionally grown produce.
To get a copy of the taste state of science review, go to http://www.organic-center.org and visit http://www.MO2010.org to find out how you can make a difference by just eating 10-percent organic.
Boulder, Colo. - (June 13, 2007) - Much more than the fate of the
multi-billion-dollar fresh leafy greens industry is at stake in the
wake of the 2006 fall's E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak linked to pre-packaged
spinach products.
Why? Because increasing daily consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is an essential first step in improving the health of the average American. Any factor that erodes confidence in the safety of fresh produce undermines ongoing efforts to increase consumption of these healthful foods.
According to a Critical Issues Report released in June 2007 by The Organic Center, the good news is that since last fall, growers and processors of fresh leafy greens, especially in California, have adopted significant, new prevention-based food safety practices aimed at preventing another outbreak.
The study, Unfinished Business: Preventing E. coli 0157 Outbreaks Caused by Leafy Greens, is authored by The Organic Center's chief scientist Charles Benbrook, Ph.D. While noting progress made, the report highlights several additional steps that are justified in light of current science and the magnitude of the issue.
The Western Growers Association led the effort leading to adoption by processors and handlers of a set of "Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Metrics." Market leader Fresh Express has committed $2 million for research on how to prevent future outbreaks, and Natural Selection Foods has implemented a new "test and hold" program that has helped ensure that all shipped product is pathogen free.
The new report provides an in-depth discussion of the likely causes of the 2006 outbreak, and includes a dramatic series of pictures of the outbreak field and surrounding area. "One lesson learned is that cattle, manure and fresh leafy greens make for a volatile mix," according to Benbrook. Until more is known about how pathogenic E. coli finds its way to leafy green fields, the report calls for one-half mile separation between grazing cattle and leafy green fields. The GAP Metrics currently require only 30 feet.
The new report is available at no charge in .pdf form at The Organic Center's website, www.organic-center.com. Click on "State of Science" in the menu bar and then on "Food Safety" to download the report, or go to The Organic Center's website.
Why? Because increasing daily consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is an essential first step in improving the health of the average American. Any factor that erodes confidence in the safety of fresh produce undermines ongoing efforts to increase consumption of these healthful foods.
According to a Critical Issues Report released in June 2007 by The Organic Center, the good news is that since last fall, growers and processors of fresh leafy greens, especially in California, have adopted significant, new prevention-based food safety practices aimed at preventing another outbreak.
The study, Unfinished Business: Preventing E. coli 0157 Outbreaks Caused by Leafy Greens, is authored by The Organic Center's chief scientist Charles Benbrook, Ph.D. While noting progress made, the report highlights several additional steps that are justified in light of current science and the magnitude of the issue.
The Western Growers Association led the effort leading to adoption by processors and handlers of a set of "Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Metrics." Market leader Fresh Express has committed $2 million for research on how to prevent future outbreaks, and Natural Selection Foods has implemented a new "test and hold" program that has helped ensure that all shipped product is pathogen free.
"Prevention of foodborne illness outbreaks requires innovation, attention to detail and diligence from 'farm to fork,'" says Dr. Benbrook.
The new report provides an in-depth discussion of the likely causes of the 2006 outbreak, and includes a dramatic series of pictures of the outbreak field and surrounding area. "One lesson learned is that cattle, manure and fresh leafy greens make for a volatile mix," according to Benbrook. Until more is known about how pathogenic E. coli finds its way to leafy green fields, the report calls for one-half mile separation between grazing cattle and leafy green fields. The GAP Metrics currently require only 30 feet.
The new report is available at no charge in .pdf form at The Organic Center's website, www.organic-center.com. Click on "State of Science" in the menu bar and then on "Food Safety" to download the report, or go to The Organic Center's website.
Organic Plant-Based Foods ARE More Nutritious, and Provide on Average a 25% Nutrition Premium
BOULDER, Colo. - March 18, 2008 - A comprehensive review of 97 published studies comparing the nutritional quality of organic and conventional foods shows that organic plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains) contain higher levels of eight of 11 nutrients studied, including significantly greater concentrations of the health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants.
In this first comprehensive review of the scientific literature comparing nutrient levels in organic and conventional food completed since 2003, a team of scientists conclude that organically grown plant-based foods are 25% more nutrient dense, on average, and hence deliver more essential nutrients per serving or calorie consumed.
Magnitude of Differences Heavily Favors Organic Foods
Several methods were used to place the magnitude of the differences in nutrient levels between organic and conventional foods into perspective. In two-thirds of the matched pairs favoring the conventional food, the differences in favor of conventional were under 10%, compared to 26% of the matched pairs in which the organic food was more nutrient dense by a margin under 10%.
The premium in favor of the conventional food was 21% or greater in just 15% of the matched pairs in which the conventional food was more nutrient dense, whereas in the more nutrient dense organic food matched pairs, 41% favored organic by 21% or more, and 24% of the pairs were 31% or more nutrient dense.
The largest differences were in the case of the flavonoid quercetin, where the organic foods were 2.4-times more nutrient dense on average, and nitrates, where levels were 1.8-fold lower in organic foods (a desirable nutritional feature).
The consistency of the differences observed, the relative importance of the nutrients for which the organic samples tended to be markedly higher, and the sizable advantage in many of the organic foods within matched pairs lead the team to conclude -
"Yes, organic plant-based foods are, on average, more nutritious in terms of their nutrient density for compounds validated by this study's rigorous methodology."
Commenting on the results, Dr. Neal Davies, a professor in the School of Pharmacology at Washington State University, and a study co-author, said "We have carried out many careful comparisons of both nutrient levels and biological activity of antioxidant polyphenols in organic and conventional foods over the last five years. Not only are we seeing a general trend in favor of the nutrient density of organic food, but also evidence that nutrients are often present in organic foods in a more biologically active form."
SOURCE: The Organic Center
BOULDER, Colo. - March 18, 2008 - A comprehensive review of 97 published studies comparing the nutritional quality of organic and conventional foods shows that organic plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains) contain higher levels of eight of 11 nutrients studied, including significantly greater concentrations of the health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants.
In this first comprehensive review of the scientific literature comparing nutrient levels in organic and conventional food completed since 2003, a team of scientists conclude that organically grown plant-based foods are 25% more nutrient dense, on average, and hence deliver more essential nutrients per serving or calorie consumed.
Magnitude of Differences Heavily Favors Organic Foods
Several methods were used to place the magnitude of the differences in nutrient levels between organic and conventional foods into perspective. In two-thirds of the matched pairs favoring the conventional food, the differences in favor of conventional were under 10%, compared to 26% of the matched pairs in which the organic food was more nutrient dense by a margin under 10%.
The premium in favor of the conventional food was 21% or greater in just 15% of the matched pairs in which the conventional food was more nutrient dense, whereas in the more nutrient dense organic food matched pairs, 41% favored organic by 21% or more, and 24% of the pairs were 31% or more nutrient dense.
The largest differences were in the case of the flavonoid quercetin, where the organic foods were 2.4-times more nutrient dense on average, and nitrates, where levels were 1.8-fold lower in organic foods (a desirable nutritional feature).
The consistency of the differences observed, the relative importance of the nutrients for which the organic samples tended to be markedly higher, and the sizable advantage in many of the organic foods within matched pairs lead the team to conclude -
"Yes, organic plant-based foods are, on average, more nutritious in terms of their nutrient density for compounds validated by this study's rigorous methodology."
Commenting on the results, Dr. Neal Davies, a professor in the School of Pharmacology at Washington State University, and a study co-author, said "We have carried out many careful comparisons of both nutrient levels and biological activity of antioxidant polyphenols in organic and conventional foods over the last five years. Not only are we seeing a general trend in favor of the nutrient density of organic food, but also evidence that nutrients are often present in organic foods in a more biologically active form."
For More Information Contact:
Dr. Charles Benbrook, The Organic Center: cbenbrook@organic-center.org, 541-828-7918SOURCE: The Organic Center
Forty New Studies Published in Last Six Years Provide a Firm
Foundation for Some Clear-cut Answers: Yes, Organic Plant-Based Foods
ARE More Nutritious, and Provide on Average a 25% Nutrition Premium
BOULDER, Colo. - March 18, 2008 - A comprehensive review of 97 published studies comparing the nutritional quality of organic and conventional foods shows that organic plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains) contain higher levels of eight of 11 nutrients studied, including significantly greater concentrations of the health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants.
In this first comprehensive review of the scientific literature comparing nutrient levels in organic and conventional food completed since 2003, a team of scientists conclude that organically grown plant-based foods are 25% more nutrient dense, on average, and hence deliver more essential nutrients per serving or calorie consumed.
Nutrient levels were studied in 236 matched pairs of foods with scientifically valid results on the levels of 10 nutrients, plus nitrates (high levels are undesirable because of food safety risks). Each matched pair contains, for example, an apple crop grown organically and another apple crop from a nearby conventional farm with similar soils, climate, plant genetics, irrigation systems, nitrogen levels, and harvest practices.
The new report is published as a "State of Science Review" by The Organic Center and is entitled "New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-based Organic Foods." The co-authors are Charles Benbrook, the Center's Chief Scientist, Xin Zhao of the University of Florida, and three Washington State University (WSU) scientists Jaime Yanez, Neal Davies, and Preston Andrews. Dr. Andrew Weil, a Center board member, wrote the "Foreword."
The full report and its executive summary are freely accessible on the Center's website (http://www.organic-center.org/science.nutri.php?action=view&report_id=126).
BOULDER, Colo. - March 18, 2008 - A comprehensive review of 97 published studies comparing the nutritional quality of organic and conventional foods shows that organic plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains) contain higher levels of eight of 11 nutrients studied, including significantly greater concentrations of the health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants.
In this first comprehensive review of the scientific literature comparing nutrient levels in organic and conventional food completed since 2003, a team of scientists conclude that organically grown plant-based foods are 25% more nutrient dense, on average, and hence deliver more essential nutrients per serving or calorie consumed.
Nutrient levels were studied in 236 matched pairs of foods with scientifically valid results on the levels of 10 nutrients, plus nitrates (high levels are undesirable because of food safety risks). Each matched pair contains, for example, an apple crop grown organically and another apple crop from a nearby conventional farm with similar soils, climate, plant genetics, irrigation systems, nitrogen levels, and harvest practices.
The new report is published as a "State of Science Review" by The Organic Center and is entitled "New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-based Organic Foods." The co-authors are Charles Benbrook, the Center's Chief Scientist, Xin Zhao of the University of Florida, and three Washington State University (WSU) scientists Jaime Yanez, Neal Davies, and Preston Andrews. Dr. Andrew Weil, a Center board member, wrote the "Foreword."
The full report and its executive summary are freely accessible on the Center's website (http://www.organic-center.org/science.nutri.php?action=view&report_id=126).
It is helpful to know which conventional foods are most likely to be grown with pesticides, and which foods have natural barriers such as a thick skin that can protect the edible food from some of that pesticide residue. High risk foods are best bargains for buying "organic" even if the cost is greater.
Remember, health costs are not just about food cost, but also about health care costs and lost productivity from illness and loss of energy.
Conventional Fruits and Vegetables with the Highest Pesticide Dietary Risk Index Scores:
Imported
Fruits
Grapes: 282
Nectarines: 281
Peaches: 266
Pears: 221
Strawberries: 78
Vegetables:
Sweet bell peppers: 720
Lettuce: 326
Cucumbers: 317
Celery: 170
Tomatoes: 142
Complete Dietary Risk Index can be found in the full report, downloadable at The Organic Center
About The Organic Center
The Organic Center, based in Boulder, CO, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to generate and advance credible, peer-reviewed scientific research and information on the health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming - and to communicate those benefits to the public through education, resources and information. By doing so, it helps promote the conversion of more farmland to organic methods, improve public health, and work to restore our natural world through more sustainable and ecological practices. All of The Organic Center's research reports and publications are available free at www.organic-center.org. Individuals can also sign up for our free monthly e-newsletter, The Scoop. For information about The Organic Center, its current programs and scientific reports please visit www.organic-center.org or call 303.499.1840.
Remember, health costs are not just about food cost, but also about health care costs and lost productivity from illness and loss of energy.
Conventional Fruits and Vegetables with the Highest Pesticide Dietary Risk Index Scores:
Imported
Fruits
Grapes: 282
Nectarines: 281
Peaches: 266
Pears: 221
Strawberries: 78
Vegetables:
Sweet bell peppers: 720
Lettuce: 326
Cucumbers: 317
Celery: 170
Tomatoes: 142
Complete Dietary Risk Index can be found in the full report, downloadable at The Organic Center
About The Organic Center
The Organic Center, based in Boulder, CO, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to generate and advance credible, peer-reviewed scientific research and information on the health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming - and to communicate those benefits to the public through education, resources and information. By doing so, it helps promote the conversion of more farmland to organic methods, improve public health, and work to restore our natural world through more sustainable and ecological practices. All of The Organic Center's research reports and publications are available free at www.organic-center.org. Individuals can also sign up for our free monthly e-newsletter, The Scoop. For information about The Organic Center, its current programs and scientific reports please visit www.organic-center.org or call 303.499.1840.
Helping Consumers Minimize Pesticide Exposures
The Organic Center's report also presents lists of fresh fruits and vegetables that score the highest using the DRI. Two lists cover domestically grown fruits and vegetables, while two others apply to imported produce that typically enters the U.S. market in the wintertime.
The organization hopes consumers will follow these lists in determining which organic fruits and vegetables will most significantly improve their personal pesticide dietary risk equation.
Conventional Fruits and Vegetables with the Highest Pesticide Dietary Risk Index Scores:
Domestic
Fruits
Cranberries: 178
Nectarines: 97
Strawberries: 56
Peaches: 54
Pears: 48
Vegetables
Green beans: 330
Sweet bell peppers: 132
Celery: 104
Cucumbers: 93
Potatoes: 74
SOURCE: The Organic Center
The Organic Center's report also presents lists of fresh fruits and vegetables that score the highest using the DRI. Two lists cover domestically grown fruits and vegetables, while two others apply to imported produce that typically enters the U.S. market in the wintertime.
The organization hopes consumers will follow these lists in determining which organic fruits and vegetables will most significantly improve their personal pesticide dietary risk equation.
Conventional Fruits and Vegetables with the Highest Pesticide Dietary Risk Index Scores:
Domestic
Fruits
Cranberries: 178
Nectarines: 97
Strawberries: 56
Peaches: 54
Pears: 48
Vegetables
Green beans: 330
Sweet bell peppers: 132
Celery: 104
Cucumbers: 93
Potatoes: 74
SOURCE: The Organic Center
