A Comment on the School Lunch Program

"When I was a prosecuter in Dallas, I used to go after families who did not feed their kids enough.  Now we are feeding them to death."

Over one-quarter of pets in the U.S. are obese.  The nation’s largest provider of pet health insurance reports that claims for coverage related to obesity account for 7% of all medical claims submitted in 2006. 


There have been more than 2,500 confirmed cases of resistance in insects to insecticides.  Both conventional and organic apple farmers in Europe are dealing now with the first documented case of resistance to a commercial baculovirus used to control codling moth.  This discovery reinforces the need for organic farmers to avoid spraying biological pesticides multiple times per season.

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Antioxidant Facts –
Ground cloves top the list of virtually all foods in total antioxidant capacity per 100 grams.  Herbs and spices account for eight of the 10 highest foods ranked by total antioxidant capacity.

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Black raspberries, cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries are the most antioxidant-dense fruits.  A single serving delivers all of the antioxidants needed in a day.

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A single half-cup serving of pinto beans or red kidney beans delivers about three-times the total antioxidants needed per day – about twice the level of a serving of most berries.

The September 26, 2007 New York Times ran an article entitled “The Missing Ingredients in Organic Cereals.”   The article points out that manufacturers of commercial cereals have been fortifying breakfast cereals for over five decades with various vitamins and minerals and that today’s highly sweetened, calorie-laden cereals have become a significant source of nutrients for many children.  The article goes on to point out that some organic cereals are not fortified, and as a result provide children lower levels of certain vitamins.

Fortification has a role to play – the need for additional folic acid during pregnancy is a good example.  But advancing fortification as the best solution to the current nutrient inadequacies in the U.S. food supply is misguided.  Many studies have shown that the nutrients added to food via fortification are usually not as readily bioavailable, nor are they as effective as the nutrients in whole foods.  Plus, does it make sense to rely on fortification to add back into food what we have, through our actions, taken out of it?

The never-ending quest for higher crop yields (see the Center’s report “Still No Free Lunch”), coupled with modern food processing techniques, has stripped nutrients from whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables.  Fresh, whole foods dense in nutrients have been replaced by manufactured foods devoid of most natural nutrients and laden with added fats, sugar, and salt.  In light of these changes in food consumption patterns and nutritional quality, it is no surprise that the vitamin and mineral content of the average American diet has slipped to the point where most of us consume less than recommended levels of several nutrients and antioxidants on a daily basis. 

Inadequate nutrient intake is real and a serious problem, especially among kids.  But focusing on the absence of fortification in some organic cereal brands, as this piece in the New York Times does, is like chastising a diplomat at peace talks for not packing a gun. 

One of the most important steps in crafting durable and affordable solutions to complex public health problems is to accurately trace problems to their source.   If this New York Times piece had done that, it would have focused on how organic farming, coupled with changes in food processing technology, can increase dramatically the levels of many essential nutrients in the U.S. food supply, in the process making fortification less necessary, eliminating the costs associated with it, and promoting human health.

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A Deep Thirst for Food Quality
We are all used to encountering pricey wines in the store or at restaurants.  The willingness of people to spend five or ten times more for a highly rated, premium bottle of wine is grounded in a sense of value linked to the unique flavors and pleasing characteristics of a fine wine, compared to a jug wine, or increasingly today, box wine.

In recent years reports have surfaced of apples from a particular region in Japan, signed by the farmer, selling for $15.00 to $25.00 each.  Single watermelons have sold for several hundred dollars in China.  Individual tomatoes have fetched over $10.00 in many areas.  High quality fresh cherries have sold for over $20.00 a pound.  And lets not forget filet mignon for $26.00 a pound or more, an increasingly common occurrence in high-end food stores.

And now, a Japanese dairy is selling milk from “stress-relief” cows for the equivalent of $43.00 a quart – thirty-times the price of regular milk in Tokyo.  The company claims the milk has three to four times higher levels of melatonin, a hormone known to help relieve stress.

People are clearly seeking higher quality foods and more satisfying eating experiences.  These trends are creating demand for food with a new set of quality attributes.  It also appears that at least some people are willing to pay substantially more for food that is uniquely flavorful or healthful. 

Local organic farmers and the organic food industry are well-positioned to meet the demand for high-end foods, and can do so without sacrificing progress toward widening the selection of everyday organic foods, offered for sale at prices including a modest premium over conventional.   Expect two challenges to arise if this trend broadens – an intricate dance with government agencies will be required in labeling and marketing such foods; and novel distribution systems and methods will be required to get enhanced quality food products to people wanting to buy them.

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How Best to Assure Food Safety?
The erosion in consumer confidence in food safety is triggering all sorts of action across the food industry and in government.  New responsibilities and costs are being imposed on growers, the food industry, and retailers – costs ultimately passed on to consumers.  Both state and federal governments are considering adoption of new regulations designed to widen margins of safety.  While new regulations and government programs will surely increase costs, it remains to be seen whether they will accomplish much in enhancing safety.

Most new initiatives and proposals rest upon more testing and a bigger role for “good agricultural practices” that are designed to manage risks.  Little emphasis is being placed on avoiding food safety problems in the first place.  Organic farming virtually eliminates risks associated with animal hormones, antibiotics use, pesticides, GMOs, and greatly reduces risks from mycotoxins and bacteria, at least in several key crops/foods, yet is not even on the radar screen among most conventional food industry leaders, and politicians looking for solutions. 

Health care system costs are out of control because the medical establishment is almost exclusively focused on treatment and not health promotion and disease prevention.  Investing in science and innovation in organic food production would likely prove highly cost-effective in promoting food safety across the food system, not to mention the added benefits linked to improvements in human health and environmental quality.  Given what organic farming and food has to offer, one wonders why there is such persistent resistance in government to shifting a fair share of R&D dollars to organic food systems and challenges.

Early Results of Nutrient Content SSR Featured at Conference
The Organic Center organized the panel of scientists covering organic food and farming at a major conference in Houston on the health benefits of fruits and vegetables.  The Center’s chief scientist Chuck Benbrook is delivering the keynote address during the session on October 12, 2007.  His talk includes some preliminary findings of the forthcoming State of Science review on the nutrient content of organic versus conventional foods.  The session promises to be lively and stimulating.  A copy of Dr. Benbrook’s presentation will be posted soon on the Center’s website under “Events and Presentations.”