Quinn Bailey Bailey 1

Professor Megan Bowman

NUTR-1020

4-30-2021
In Organic We Trust: Is it really Organic?

The documentary In Organic We Trust (2012) asks a very important question, What is

Organic? At the beginning of the documentary bystanders are asked to explain what organic

means, if they eat organic foods, and why they eat organic. Most answers were that eating

organic foods are healthier for you and that there are not any chemicals involved with the

growing process. While that may be truer on the surface the word “organic” goes deeper than

that. Largely the word “organic” has become somewhat of a brand and larger corporations have

entered the game due to the potential profit among consumers. Small, independent companies

have been struggling to meet with the demand for organic foods while also trying to sell along

with the bigger companies.

I chose the documentary In Organic We Trust because whenever I can I try to choose

organic options at the grocery store when the opportunity arises. The documentary however

poses the question, What exactly is Organic? I accompany products that claim that they are

organic to be healthier and an overall better choice for the environment over the products that are

not organic. I had never given the word “organic” much thought before, it is a word that many

hear and automatically think healthy. When purchasing fruits and vegetables I notice that there

are sometimes two options for the same product, organic or regular, with the organic products

costing more money but not by a whole lot. In my head, if I purchase the organic option over the

normal option then I am picking the healthier item for only a little bit more money than I would

have normally been spending ultimately picking the best possible option for me.
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Professor Megan Bowman

NUTR-1020

4-30-2021
The producer is named Rober Kiplin Pastor, an American filmmaker born in 1982.

During his career as a writer and a producer he has worked on many environmental advocacy

films including Life on Earth (2009) and How to Stop a Pipeline (2017). He believes that film is

the most effective way to bring forth an idea to a larger public. His nutrition background is close

to none being a writer and producer first, which is one of the reasons why I chose this

documentary. He was just like any average person who only thought that the organic meant that

it was better for you and for the environment, he was just a guy who was curious and wanted to

show the world the truth behind what organic really means. In Organic We Trust was produced

in the year 2012 making it 9 years old in 2021 and while I think it has held up well enough, I

believe there are definitely changes to the statistics and information presented in the film. The

world is changing constantly and that pertains to the farms and the laws that surround organic

foods and what that word truly means in the legal system.

Believe it or not there is a difference between “Organic” and “Certified Organic”. The

word “Organic” has become a term used by big companies in order to sell their products since

organic food popularity has risen, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the food is organic or endorse

the quality but just that the product has been made to certain regulations that have been set by the

National Organic Program by the USDA set in 2002 which regulates food making it “Certified

Organic”. (8:00) A common misconception is that Organic foods are free of pesticides, they are

not. However Organic foods are sprayed with biological pest management which include

compost, manure, and crop rotation to maintain a healthy ecosystem produced by local farmers.

Synthetic pesticides which include fertilizers and hormones and other various chemicals that are
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Professor Megan Bowman

NUTR-1020

4-30-2021
not permitted in the production of organic foods and are used by large companies looking to

make a profit rather than taking care of the land. (pg. 596)

Organic does not mean locally grown or fresh products, with an estimate of 20% of

organic food is imported from other countries by larger companies. (24:55) While large

companies are taking from organic sources, the importing process takes a while so by the time

that the products get to the U.S. then how fresh is it really. Certified organic farmers who grow

in the same country and use less harmful methods of growing can get fresh, local foods to

consumers in a timely manner that would still be considered fresh. Retailers have started to use

the term “locally grown food” as a label in order to respond to consumers desire for real, 100%

fresh, local foods from small farmers. (pg. 601) One of the most popular sources of locally

obtained fresh food have been with farmers markets, independently owned by communities

where small farm owners can sell their products to people in a safe, 100% organic way.

Agricultural solutions are very much needed when it comes to how organic food is

grown. An IPM (Integrated Pest Management) allows small farmers to get access to the

knowledge that lets them know what to spray on their crops and for how long. While an IPM can

include chemical and non chemical methods the overall goal is to eliminate chemicals and switch

to the non toxic solutions which include crop rotation. (43:30) A GRAS list (Generally

Recognized as Safe) is another solution that small organic farmers can utilize. Essentially it is a

list that lets farmers know which products are deemed as safe by the FDA that can be used on

their crops. (pg. 586) Solutions such as IPM and the GRAS list solve problems and questions that

many locally owned farmers might have if they are organic farms.
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Professor Megan Bowman

NUTR-1020

4-30-2021
Before watching this documentary and even before starting this class I never gave the

term “Organic” much thought, ultimately I categorized it as the healthier choice for yourself and

for the environment and was free of pesticides much like many other Americans. I was shocked

to find out that there is so much corruption and deceit behind the word that the USDA had to

coin “Certified Organic” in order to compete with larger companies who use the word just to

make a profit with the growing popularity and demand for organic foods. It is dishonest and

completely wrong for big conglomerates to use the word “Organic” even though the food that

they claim to be organic are not at all. Next time I go to the store I will be more conscious of

what I am purchasing and which labels appear on certain products whether it is certified organic

or just organic and claims to be fresh or locally produced.

Professor Megan Bowman

NUTR-1020

4-30-2021
Works Cited:

● Pastor, Robert Kiplin, and Emma Fletcher. In Organic We Trust, Pasture Pictures, 7 June

2012, tubitv.com/movies/322717/in-organic-we-trust?start=true&utm_source=google-

feed&tracking=google-feed.

● Wardlaw, Gordon M., et al. Wardlaw's Contemporary Nutrition: a Functional Approach.

McGraw-Hill Education, 2021.

● “Crew.” IN ORGANIC WE TRUST, www.inorganicwetrust.org/crew.

● “Organic.” Organic | Agricultural Marketing Service, www.ams.usda.gov/grades-

standards/organic-standards.

● In Organic We Trust: Time stamp (8:00) Certified Organic, (24:55) Imported Organic

food, (43:30) IPM.

● Wardlaw's Contemporary Nutrition: a Functional Approach: (pg. 596) Synthetic

Pesticides, (pg. 601) Locally Grown Food label, (pg. 586) GRAS list.