Should We Eat Only Organic?

~ Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Genesis 9:3

Firstly, what is the definition of 'Organic'? Organic farming can be defined by the proactive, ecological management strategies that maintain and enhance soil fertility, prevent soil erosion, promote and enhance biological diversity, and minimize risk to human and animal health and natural resources. Many kinds of farm products are produced organically including vegetables, fruit, herbs, grains, meat, dairy, eggs, fibers, and flowers.
When consumers buy Certified Organic farm products, they can be certain that they are supporting farmers who take their stewardship roles so seriously that they have voluntarily accepted strict Federally-regulated standards:

• Certified Organic farming systems are the ONLY farming systems in the United States that are REQUIRED by federal regulation to use an integrated package of management practices that maintain or improve the natural resources of the farm, including soil and water quality
• Certified Organic farming systems are the ONLY farming systems in the United States that are REQUIRED by federal regulation to rely preferentially on preventative management practices to reduce the possibility of weed, insect, and disease problems, and to preferentially use nontoxic physical and mechanical methods to manage pest problems if they do occur; ONLY when these practices are insufficient to prevent or control crop pests, weeds, and diseases can organically-approved materials be used in Certified Organic farming systems
• Certified organic farming systems are the ONLY farming systems in the United States that are REQUIRED by federal regulation to undergo a rigorous annual oversight and certification process to enforce these natural resource protection and pest-prevention requirements. 
• * Source:  http://www.extension.org/pages/18655/what-is-organic-farming#.VLVJtsmP7Iw

Should we eat only organic and can average American households afford to? Let us answer the first part of that question. I answer 'yes'. My answer is based on the fact that I don't like the idea of mass produced food and since I was able to get and eat truly organic while living in eastern Europe, I know that it is better for you. Being back in the US, I realize that getting and eating food of that quality is impossible at least in my area and for the amount I can afford to spend. However, I am not in a state of panic about food quality. According to Dr. Ted Jaenicke, associate professor of agricultural economics at Penn State University, and Dr. Carl Winter, director of the FoodSafe Program at the University of California at Davis there is not enough evidence to state that 'Yes' we should eat only over organic over conventionally raised food..

Dr. Jaenicke: The scientific perspective, especially on potential health benefits of organic foods, is very mixed, and it would be easy to think that consumers could be confused. For example, a 2012 Stanford University study made waves by concluding that organic meat and produce is no more nutritious than conventionally grown foods. However, a different study from Newcastle University in England, which appeared a year earlier but reviewed many of the same previous studies, came to an opposite conclusion. Clearly, consumers are getting mixed messages.

The scientific perspective is rather clear on one message, however:  Almost all scientific studies find that organic produce has a lower level of pesticide residues than does conventionally grown produce. But even here, the scientific community does not provide a clear take-home message for consumers. The reason is that there is no conclusive statistical research that the higher levels of pesticides found on conventional produce causes adverse health outcomes.

Dr. Winter: As a food toxicologist, I find that there is very little difference between organic and conventionally produced foods in terms of food safety. The most important message is that consumers continue to eat large amounts of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, regardless of the method used for producing them or where they are produced.

*Source: http://www.bestfoodfacts.org/food-for-thought/organic_from_abroad

Even so, there is still a great deal of concern that we are over exposed to pesticides, hormones and GMOs when we consume non-USDA organic foods. Given, I think it is a wise practice to pray over your food, over you and your family's dinner ~ no weapon formed against me/us shall prosper (Isa 54:17). Though everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial (1 Cor 10:23).