Do I dare to eat a peach? Not a conventional one, says Tribune study

http://www.ethicurean.com/2009/08/13/tribune-peach-study/
Another day, another facet to the debate over whether organic produce is worth the extra moolah. Unless you’ve been living on a remote mountaintop with no wireless, you’ve probably witnessed the recent frenzy over a UK study [pdf] claiming that organic food has no nutritional benefits over conventional. The study elicited many insightful responses from organic defenders, including The Organic Center, and commentary from Grist and Civil Eats among others. Many cited studies countering the UK finding: Organic food has more antioxidants; organic food has fewer nitrates; organic production is more than just a little good for the environment in which we all live.

Enter yet another study boosting the argument in favor of buying organic — but also boosting the case for buying conventional produce from smaller local farms if you can’t find or can’t afford organic. (Though non-organic local food may not always be less expensive.)

Using preliminary data from USDA pesticide-residue tests conducted on produce last year, the Chicago Tribune found the residues of no fewer than fifty different pesticides gracing the skins of conventionally-grown peaches from domestic and foreign sources. Five of the poisonous compounds were present at levels higher than the EPA allows, ... go to link to read more