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DCL

By now the word organic is likely a part of your vocabulary and the idea of pesticide-laden produce may even seem frightful. And it should. Here are some stats published on Food News which found that pesticide residue DOES end up on your food:

- More than 96 percent of peaches tested positive for pesticides, followed by nectarines (95.1 percent) and apples (93.6 percent).

- Strawberries and domestic blueberries each had 13 pesticides detected on a single sample. Peaches and apples were second, with 9 pesticides on one sample.

- Some 95 percent all celery samples tested positive for pesticides, followed by imported cucumbers (84.5 percent) and potatoes (84.2 percent).

These are foods we commonly eat. So why am I ranting on something that we already know? Well, the produce industry, according to Grist, is trying to change our minds.

Industry groups are writing to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to ask him to publish data about pesticide residue with context explaining that the amount of pesticides found on their products really isn't that big of a deal. They also have an interactive website that lets consumers find out how many servings of the maligned fruits and veggies one can eat each day without suffering adverse effects from pesticides. (Women can eat 263 servings of peaches, which ranks number one on the Dirty Dozen, each day; men, 318.)

Yikes! The industry is trying to paint the danger of pesticides as a story made up by environmentalists while reminding us that these foods are safe. I have trouble swallowing (pun intended) the idea that pesticides, known poisons, are safe to eat, even in small quantities. Once sprayed, these chemicals end up in our ground water and destroy our soil. Not to mention the workers that are exposed to poisons just by doing their job.

Bottom line—buy organic produce whenever possible or at least the Dirty Dozen. When buying locally, ask farmers how foods are grown and if pesticides are used . Here's a list of questions to ask your local farmers.

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