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Environment and the food you eat
Organic foods are produced according to
certain production standards, meaning they are grown without the use of
conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge,
and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives.
Livestock are reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use
of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically
modified. Organic food production is legally regulated. Currently, the European
Union, the United States, Japan and many other countries require producers to
obtain organic certification in order to market food as organic. Historically,
organic farms have been relatively small family-run farms — which is why organic
food was once only available in small stores or farmers' markets.
However, since the early 1990s organic food has had growth rates of around 20% a
year, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and
developing nations. As of April 2008, organic food accounts for 1-2% of food
sales worldwide. Future growth is expected to range from 10-50% annually
depending on the country.
EPA Food and Pesticide information:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/securty.htm
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