What does the USDA Organic label really mean?

It also means they can charge a hell of a lot extra.

Non-organic foods cost us all much more in the long run. For example it is very costly if not impossible to remove the highly toxic pesticides and fertilizers that leach into the aquifer.

Another real world example: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/07/60minutes/main528581.shtml

Go look up the episode of Penn and Teller's BS that featured organic foods. Like many of their episodes I find it very thought provoking.

Organic foods are another marketing ploy that taps into people emotional responses. No, they do not taste any different; no, they are not better for the environment. You have to consider all the factors in making that last statement: amount of land used to grow it, transportation of goods (organic foods are often shipped much farther than conventional), amount of resources needed to grow (organic requires more water and can't grow in every climate, so your organic oranges in NY are shipped pretty damn far), etc. On top of everything, organic yields are significantly lower, and this world already has a mass food shortage. Focus on technology improving our food sources. That'll bring food to starving 3rd world countries...organic does nothing (except rape your wallet).

Organic farming uses more labor,if you realy believe in all this then you need to aspire to have your son or daughter become a farmer, not a dentist,lawyer docter.

As with anything federally stamped, you have to take it in mind with a major f&ckup factor. This video was obviously a shill for the USDA, so I cannot be sympathetic to their "it's all good" tone. It's not. Anyone who believes any facet of government isn't corrupt needs thorazine, not organic food.

However, I do my own organic gardening and compared to what I get in the supermarket, it DOES taste better. Water use is minimal as I've conditioned my soil properly. You can't grow any ol' thing you want, but I'm fine with that. I at least get better peppers, herbs, beans, garlic, and salad greens than the supermarket shopper.

Yea I grow my own crops as well--cucumbers, a lot of peppers, peaches, and corn. Neither taste better than the commercial stuff, well aside from the peaches but only because they are generally fresher. I've gotten some wonderful peaches from the supermarket before, though. There is no difference in taste. This is basically a fact. There have been tests--dozens--both scientifically and even on Penn & Teller's show "BS."

Nutritionally, the difference is marginal and get this, sometimes the advantage goes to the non-organic produce. *GASP* But again it's such a minuscule difference.

And it's great when people say they eat organically because there are no pesticides in organic food. Well, just wait until they find out that they DO use pesticides and fertilizers in organic food, only difference is that the stuff is "natural" and well all know that anything natural is better, right? As opposed to going with something synthetic which has been tested millions of times and which is designed specifically to be better for the environment than a natural pesticide or fertilizer.

But hey, the only people laughing are the people who produce the organic food. Mostly because they're the same corporations that sell non-organic produce. Those people have the best business sense..

Growing one's own vegetables always tastes better than buying it at the supermarket - it doesn't have to be organic gardening.

Food in the supermarket is from massive producers who use the hardiest cultivars, not the tastiest, harvest them early so they are ripe when they get to you and ship them incredible distances. Growing your own means you have tasty cultivars, harvested when ripe and served shortly after harvesting.

As for organic being better for you:
1. See Penn and Teller's Bullshit about that.
and
2. Some studies have shown that organic vegetables have higher levels of *natural* pesticides in them. Some commercially available organic vegetables have pest-deterring chemical levels approaching human toxicity.

Here's a pretty good, quick rundown of organic food myths by Brian Dunning of Skeptoid:

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4019

Well duh, of course growing your own stuff tastes better. It's fresh. I don't organic garden. I spra pesticide on my stuff and ue synthetic ferts. My veggies still taste yummy!

Anywho... if people want to waste their money on the organic stuff. Whatever. I'll be happy with my cheaper options that taste exactly the same.

In the battle of synthetic vs natural, is there really a good side and a bad side? It's all the same in the end. A pesticide is a pesticide.

...except that when you use natural (but still poisonous) pesticides, you have to use up to 7 times more to achieve the same level of effectiveness.