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The organic food industry is a multi-billion dollar
有機食物產業是一個巨大的產業
business. Some producers will use labeling and
一些生產商會利用標簽和
buzzwords to entice consumers to buy their products.
廣告來吸引消費者購買自己的產品
Words such as "all natural", "free range",
像"純天然" "自由放牧區"
"sustainably harvested", or "no drugs or
"可持續收割"或者"不含藥物和
growth hormones used" may be truthful statements,
生長激素"等詞或許是真的
but should not be confused with organic products.
但并不應同有機產品等同起來
According to the 2005 Whole Foods
根據2005年天然食品商
Marketer Organic Foods Trend Tracker,
和有機食品調查顯示
Americans are buying organic foods and beverages
美國人購買有機食品和飲品的原因
for a variety of reasons. As part of this study,
多種多樣，作為這項研究的一部分
participants were allowed to choose one or more
參與者要選擇一個或者多個
reasons that figured into their decision to
自己購買有機食品的原因
buy organic. The top three reasons were avoidance
其中 70.3%的選擇了沒有殺蟲劑
of pesticides at 70.3%, freshness 68.3%, and health
68.3%的人選擇了新鮮度高
and nutrition at 67.1%. More than half, or 55%,
67.1%的人選擇了健康營養，而55%
buy organic to avoid genetically modified foods.
的人則是因為為了避免買到轉基因食品
Also, more than half of all respondents agree that
除此之外，一半以上的受訪者表示
organic food and beverages are better for my health
有機食物對身體有益，同時也
and better for the environment. The survey clearly
更加環保，這項調查清楚表明
indicated that the majority of people thought buying
大多數人認為
organic was safer and healthier
選擇有機食物
than buying conventional foods.
比選擇一般食物更加健康
Do you buy organic foods? Take a few minutes to
你是否會買有機食物?請花幾分鐘想想
identify your own reasons why you do
你為什么會買有機食物
or do not purchase organic foods.
你為什么會買?為什么不會買?
There are a lot of issues in the media that stress
媒體中有很多信息都在強調
the benefit of organic foods over conventional foods.
與常規食物相比，有機食物的好處
A recently featured show on CBS featured
近日，在哥倫比亞廣播公司的一檔節目
Katie Couric investigating the use of antibiotics
凱蒂，庫里克調查了在圍欄肥育工程中
in feedlot operations. Oprah Winfrey has featured
運用抗生素的問題，歐普拉脫口秀
several shows on nutrition in which Doctor Oz has
也有幾期節目關注了營養問題，奧茨醫生
touted organics for lower levels of pesticides and
認為，有機食品中的殺蟲劑和硝酸鹽類化肥
nitrate contamination. In this segment, we'll
的含量，在這節中，我們來關注
take a look at some key issues and see what
一些重要的概念，然后來觀察
the scientific evidence really provides.
這些科學證據表明了什么
Pesticides are essential for crop yields and
殺蟲劑對農作物的生長成熟是必須的
production. Without pesticides, food availability
沒有殺蟲劑，全球的糧食產量將會銳減
and price would suffer on a global scale. Yet,
糧價將會迅速提高
consumer fears on pesticide residues play a big part
但是，消費者對殺蟲劑殘留的恐懼
in the decision on whether or not to purchase organic
是促使其購買有機產品的一個重要原因
produce. Since the USDA regulates the organic
美國農業部監管有機食物項目
food program, it provides guidance on what type of
它會就可以運用何種殺蟲劑
pesticides can be used. Organic farmers may still use
進行規定，有機產品生產者依舊可以利用
pesticides that are considered natural. These include
天然殺蟲劑，它們包括以肥皂為原料的
soap based herbicides, water disinfectants containing
滅草劑，含有次氯酸鈣，次氯酸鈉
calcium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, and copper
和硫酸銅的殺菌劑，以及
sulfate and insecticides of boric acid, lime sulfur,
含有硼酸，石硫合劑，硫酸銅和
copper sulfate and certain oils. All pesticides,
某些油類的殺蟲劑，所有的殺蟲劑
synthetic or natural, have certain health risks.
不管是自然的還是合成的，都有健康風險
When pesticides are used in conventional farming,
在傳統農業中，殺蟲劑的運用
there use is also strictly controlled to ensure
同樣受到嚴格的控制，以保證大眾的健康
public safety. The EPA works to regulate health risks
美國環境保護局通過制定最農藥
and pesticide exposures through the
最高殘留量(MRL)來降低人體健康風險
Maximum Residue Limits or MRL's. The MRL's
以及殺蟲劑的外泄
are evaluated based on the EPA policy of reasonable
MRL是根據環境保護局的政策制定的
certainty of no harm and the enforcement and
這項政策的實行和推廣十分廣泛
monitoring of these programs is extensive.
實施過程中的監督也是十分重要
