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Organic FoodBy,

Jeff Lee

What is organic food?

Organic meat is natural meat, that is, meat that does not contain added chemicals or pesticides. To meet the standards United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) for organic meat, the animals must have no added hormones, antibiotics, genetically modified organisms, and preservatives. The animals must be able to graze on pastures and are not allowed animal by product feed. USDA must also approve of a safety inspection. To meet the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York standards an animal must be,

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Claim

My claim is that more people need to be informed about organic foods in order to make an informed decision about whether or not to eat organic food. If people are not informed then they have no reason to purchase organic foods, which tend to be more expensive and less available.

Survey

By completing the following questions, you are also granting consent for this information to be used as part of a research project that I am completing for a course at the University of Denver. Your participation is completely voluntary. The information you provide may be used in a project and may be published online and/or in print, but your identity will remain anonymous. While profile information you volunteer in this survey may be included in my writing project (i.e. your age, sex, class standing, etc.), your name and identity will NOT be used or reported. If at any time you do not want to answer a question, or do not want to complete the questionnaire, you do not have to. 

Survey

1. How often do you eat organic food?

Never Almost Never Sometimes Almost Always Always

2. How healthy do you believe organic food to be?

Unhealthy Somewhat unhealthy Healthy Very Healthy

3. About what percent of your daily food consumption is organic foods?

Don’t know 0-25% 25-50% 50-75% 75-100%

4. Organic food consumption greatly impacts the environment.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Don’t Know Agree Strongly Agree

5. Do you think that organic food consumption helps sustainability?

Yes No

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6.) Animals are treated the same at conventional farms and organic farms.

True False

7.) The only difference between organic farming and conventional farming is that the farmers cannot put chemicals into the animals if they are an organic farm.

True False

8.) I purchase organic meat for personal heath reasons.

Disagree Neutral Agree Do not eat organic meat

9.) I do eat organic meat.

Never Occasionally Always

10.) I eat organic meat because the animals are treated better.

Disagree Neutral agree Do not eat organic meat 

Graphs from Surveys

AA Always Sometimes AN Never05

10152025303540

How often do you eat organic food?

Fre

quency

VH Healthy SU Unhealthy0

10

20

30

40

50

Series1; 0

How healthy do you be-lieve organic food to

be?

Fre

quency

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75-100% 50-75% 25-50% 0-25% Don't Know

0204060 Series1; 44

About what percent of your daily food con-sumption is organic

foods?

Fre

quency

0

40Series1; 0

Organic food consumption

greatly impacts the environment.

Fre

quency

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No Yes0

20

40

60 Series1; 49

Do you think that or-ganic food consump-

tion helps sustainabil-ity?

Fre

quency

True False 0

20

40

60 Series1; 53

Animals are treated the same at conventional

farms and organic farms.

Fre

quency

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The only difference between organic farm-ing and conventional farming is that the farmers cannot put

chemicals into the an-imals if they are an

organic farm.

Fre

quency

Don’t Eat O Agree Neutral Disagree0

1020304050

Series1; 1

I purchase organic meat for personal heath reasons.

Fre

quency

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Always Occasionally Never0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Series1; 1

I do eat organic meat.

Fre

quency

Don't Eat O Agree Neutral Disagree05

1015202530

Series1; 22

I eat organic meat because the animals are treated better.

Fre

quency

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From the surveys I concluded that people have an understanding that organic food is healthier and better for you but they still do not understand why.

Motivation

People who purchase at least one organic product consistently tend to purchase other organic products as well.

Educational level of consumers plays a large role in whether or not someone chooses organic meat over conventional meat.

Organic food is healthier.

Some people are allergic to the chemicals.

The long term effect of the chemicals used in conventional foods is unknown.

Ethical reasons play a role. How the animals are treated.

Reasons Not To Purchase

Organic foods are usually more expensive.

Most people are not completely informed about what organic foods really are. This results in having no reason for purchasing organic foods if you do not know exactly how it differs from what they are already eating (conventional foods).

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Work Cited

Aertsens, Joris, Wim Verbeke, Koen Mondelaers, and Guido Van Huylenbroeck. "Personal Determinants of Organic Food Consumption: A Review." British Food Journal 111.10 (2009): 1140-167. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.

Monier, Sylvette, Daniel Hassan, Véronique Nichèle, and Michel Simioni. "Organic Food Consumption Patterns." Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization 7.2 (2009): n. pag. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.

"Organic Meat." Organic Facts. RuralTech Services, 2015. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.

Schee, Roddy, and Doug Moss. "Why People Aren't Buying into Organic Food Products." Scientific American Global RSS. Nature America, Inc., 28 June 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

Winter, Carl K., and Sarah F. Davis. "Organic Foods." Journal of Food Science 71.9 (2006): R117-124. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.