Does Organic Beef Offer Guarantees Regarding Food-Related Health Concerns?
• Only 2% of each dollar the US consumer spends is for organic food and only 0.3% of US crop and pasture land is devoted to certified organic food production. • 60% of American shoppers believe that organic foods are better for their health. • 9% use organic products regularly or several times per week. Reasons cited are better for the environment (58%), supportive of small or local farmers (57%), better for my health (54%), better quality (42%) or better tasting (32%). • There is not sufficient science to prove the claim of advocates that organic food is either safer or healthier than conventional food. Scientific Evidence Regarding Microbiological Differences Among Types Of Beef: • There can be a greater chance of microbial pathogens occurring on beef that is harvested on the farm or in locker plants. • A Centers for Disease Control & Prevention listing of 488 E. coli illnesses found that nearly 25% of these cases were a result of consuming organic or natural foods.[7] In Canada, org
