Consumers are looking for reasons to eat healthier and they want more information about where their food comes from and how it was produced. There are hundreds of reasons to choose certified organic over conventional products, and here are some of the primary reasons to go organic.

Persistent Pesticides
The use of insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers and weed-killers are strictly monitored in organic food production. Organic farming produces healthy food without the use of toxic pesticides. While some organic farmers do use pesticides they are primarily derived from natural substances. These natural pesticides must be approved for organic production. The natural pesticides that are approved are only allowed to be used when other pest control methods aren’t successful.

GMOs
Using genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, is prohibited in organic agriculture. This means an organic farmer can’t plant GMO seeds, and an organic cow can’t eat GMO feed stuff.

Health
No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives are allowed in organic food. Cleaner food means cleaner diets which leads to a cleaner bill of health. No artificial preservatives, colors or flavors are allowed in organic food. By contrast, thousands of chemicals can be added to conventional packaged foods, including preservatives, flavors and colors linked to health problems.

Soil Health
Organic farming creates healthy soil. Healthy soil creates healthy food and a healthy environment. Healthy soil is the basis for organic agriculture. Organic farmers use natural organic fertilizers and soil amendments like organic matter (things you can compost), green manures (cover crops grown specifically for soil improvement, e.g. legumes), and animal manures (with safety restrictions) to build healthy soil.  When food is grown in healthy soil, crops are better able to resist disease, survive drought, and tolerate insects.

Nutrition
Organic food contains more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and micronutrients than conventionally raised food. There is a growing body of evidence documenting how farming methods can influence the nutritional content of foods.

Sewage Sludge
Organic farming never uses sewage sludge. Sewage sludge is a product of wastewater treatment and contains numerous known and unknown hazardous materials – including everything that is flushed into the sewer system. Once treated, sewage sludge can be applied to agricultural cropland as fertilizer.
Organic products are managed according to defined processes for planting, growing, raising and handling. A very important part of the process-based regulatory framework is the prohibition of certain methods in organic production and handling. Methods like irradiation, sewage sludge, and genetic engineering are all expressly prohibited from being used when growing or processing organic foods.

Irradiation
Organic food is never irradiated. Irradiated food is exposed to an intense ionizing radiation. This is done in a processing room for a specified duration. With food irradiation, radiant energy (electrons, gamma rays or x-rays) breaks chemical bonds with intention to reduce microorganisms.

Climate Change
The primary benefit of organic crop and livestock production, compared to conventional agriculture, is that it is focused on soil-based production with underlying principles of maintaining or improving soil quality. Healthy soil counteracts climate change by pulling carbon out of the atmosphere.

Pollinators
Organic farms and crops are pollinator-friendly and protect bees, pollinators and wildlife from toxic chemicals. Large-scale, chemically intensive agricultural production has been implicated as a major source of threats to pollinators.
Organic farming standards not only prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides, many of which are highly toxic to bees and can be persistent in the environment, but also require that organic producers manage their farms in a manner that fosters biodiversity and improves natural resources.

Farm workers
Organic farming doesn’t expose neighboring communities and farm workers to dangerous persistent pesticides. Farm workers are at great risk for exposure to agricultural pesticides and the adverse health impacts that can occur as a result. Neighbors are also at risk for exposure through pesticide drift if they live near a big farm or a conventionally managed park or playing field. Pesticide drift is a threat to human health as well as to wildlife and ecosystems.

Environment
Organic farming practices result in numerous environmental benefits. Organic farming rebuilds soil health and stops harmful chemicals from getting into our water supplies. Water and soil are two extremely important resources necessary for growing food. Organic farmers don’t rely on non-renewable oil-based fertilizers and pesticides we may not always have access to. Organic farming releases fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

Water
Many byproducts of conventional farming threaten watersheds and pollute drinking water. Choosing organic protects the streams and lakes downstream from toxic runoff that conventional farming produces.  Runoff from farms carries soil and farm inputs like fertilizer and pesticides into nearby creeks and streams. 
Organic farmers, like any others, need to provide nitrogen and phosphorus for crops grow. But unlike conventional farmers, organic farmers rarely rely primarily on chemical fertilizers, which would be costly and inconsistent with the organic approach to soil fertility. Organic farmers use natural organic fertilizers and soil amendments like organic matter, green manures, and animal manures to build healthy soil.  The use of organic soil amendments rather than synthetic fertilizers provides crops with complex nutrient sources that are slow to release and limit their loss into the soil and into our waters. 

Cancer
Eating organic can reduce the risk of cancer in humans. Studies have found that those who eat organic foods have lower risk of developing cancer.