the organic standards were/are more about conserving natural resources than directly promoting human health, though of course it’s a lot easier to get westoids to conspicuously consume when they believe a specific product will impact their individual health, than to see if they care about some natural resource being undermined. one of the primary benefits, from a strictly input-substitution perspective, is that biologically derived inputs (fertilizers, pesticides) are considerably harder to patent and license when compared to chemically synthesized inputs. chemical companies have agricultural inputs on lockdown and conventional agricultural production systems are in thrall to them for patented seed/sprays. the original promise of the international organic movement in the 1960s-1970s was to recognize and organize a resistance to market concentration among seed and chemical companies across a range of environmental and labor-friendly practices, but has of course been watered down over the last 40-50 years into something more pleasing to capital formations. though, speaking strictly as an individual consumer… there are some wild novel chemistries out there that i prefer to avoid on my generally-consumed-raw fruits and vegetables. the US is the wild west when it comes to novel chemistry. all kinds of shit that the EU has banned under the precautionary principle is marketed/sold here. i’ve worked in agriculture for 17 years now, in and around lots of different systems, and the space suits the guys have to get in and the tempo of the spray schedule for conventional fruit production is wild. the EPA still has a “critical use” carve out of the 2000 blanket ban on methyl bromide for strawberries, almonds and a bunch of other crops. for those keeping score, the US uses >40% of all methyl bromide produced on earth because most other developed and even developing countries have banned it for agricultural use, if not outright due to its gnarly implications for soil/groundwater toxicity and its role in ozone depletion. it was specifically listed in the Montreal Protocol.

but, to answer the question, i generally only prioritize knowing what’s up (either knowing the grower or buying an audited label like organic, fair trade, blah blah) with fresh produce where i know the alternative is like environmentally destructive, reliant on slavery, or both), i guess, and i try to eat less corn-based products in general. lately been messing around more with lentils and black beans.

that’s for ingredients. when it comes to prepared foods, i believe in nothing. chefs/restaurateurs are lyin’ ass motherfuckers when it comes to having “values” and prepared/prepackaged items are all full of salt, sugar and god knows what else anyway. so give me the cheap shit.