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The organic food industry is a multi-billion dollar
有机食物产业是一个巨大的产业
business. Some producers will use labeling and
一些生产商会利用标签和
buzzwords to entice consumers to buy their products.
广告来吸引消费者购买自己的产品
Words such as "all natural", "free range",
像"纯天然" "自由放牧区"
"sustainably harvested", or "no drugs or
"可持续收割"或者"不含药物和
growth hormones used" may be truthful statements,
生长激素"等词或许是真的
but should not be confused with organic products.
但并不应同有机产品等同起来
According to the 2005 Whole Foods
根据2005年天然食品商
Marketer Organic Foods Trend Tracker,
和有机食品调查显示
Americans are buying organic foods and beverages
美国人购买有机食品和饮品的原因
for a variety of reasons. As part of this study,
多种多样，作为这项研究的一部分
participants were allowed to choose one or more
参与者要选择一个或者多个
reasons that figured into their decision to
自己购买有机食品的原因
buy organic. The top three reasons were avoidance
其中 70.3%的选择了没有杀虫剂
of pesticides at 70.3%, freshness 68.3%, and health
68.3%的人选择了新鲜度高
and nutrition at 67.1%. More than half, or 55%,
67.1%的人选择了健康营养，而55%
buy organic to avoid genetically modified foods.
的人则是因为为了避免买到转基因食品
Also, more than half of all respondents agree that
除此之外，一半以上的受访者表示
organic food and beverages are better for my health
有机食物对身体有益，同时也
and better for the environment. The survey clearly
更加环保，这项调查清楚表明
indicated that the majority of people thought buying
大多数人认为
organic was safer and healthier
选择有机食物
than buying conventional foods.
比选择一般食物更加健康
Do you buy organic foods? Take a few minutes to
你是否会买有机食物?请花几分钟想想
identify your own reasons why you do
你为什么会买有机食物
or do not purchase organic foods.
你为什么会买?为什么不会买?
There are a lot of issues in the media that stress
媒体中有很多信息都在强调
the benefit of organic foods over conventional foods.
与常规食物相比，有机食物的好处
A recently featured show on CBS featured
近日，在哥伦比亚广播公司的一档节目
Katie Couric investigating the use of antibiotics
凯蒂，库里克调查了在围栏肥育工程中
in feedlot operations. Oprah Winfrey has featured
运用抗生素的问题，欧普拉脱口秀
several shows on nutrition in which Doctor Oz has
也有几期节目关注了营养问题，奥茨医生
touted organics for lower levels of pesticides and
认为，有机食品中的杀虫剂和硝酸盐类化肥
nitrate contamination. In this segment, we'll
的含量，在这节中，我们来关注
take a look at some key issues and see what
一些重要的概念，然后来观察
the scientific evidence really provides.
这些科学证据表明了什么
Pesticides are essential for crop yields and
杀虫剂对农作物的生长成熟是必须的
production. Without pesticides, food availability
没有杀虫剂，全球的粮食产量将会锐减
and price would suffer on a global scale. Yet,
粮价将会迅速提高
consumer fears on pesticide residues play a big part
但是，消费者对杀虫剂残留的恐惧
in the decision on whether or not to purchase organic
是促使其购买有机产品的一个重要原因
produce. Since the USDA regulates the organic
美国农业部监管有机食物项目
food program, it provides guidance on what type of
它会就可以运用何种杀虫剂
pesticides can be used. Organic farmers may still use
进行规定，有机产品生产者依旧可以利用
pesticides that are considered natural. These include
天然杀虫剂，它们包括以肥皂为原料的
soap based herbicides, water disinfectants containing
灭草剂，含有次氯酸钙，次氯酸钠
calcium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, and copper
和硫酸铜的杀菌剂，以及
sulfate and insecticides of boric acid, lime sulfur,
含有硼酸，石硫合剂，硫酸铜和
copper sulfate and certain oils. All pesticides,
某些油类的杀虫剂，所有的杀虫剂
synthetic or natural, have certain health risks.
不管是自然的还是合成的，都有健康风险
When pesticides are used in conventional farming,
在传统农业中，杀虫剂的运用
there use is also strictly controlled to ensure
同样受到严格的控制，以保证大众的健康
public safety. The EPA works to regulate health risks
美国环境保护局通过制定最农药
and pesticide exposures through the
最高残留量(MRL)来降低人体健康风险
Maximum Residue Limits or MRL's. The MRL's
以及杀虫剂的外泄
are evaluated based on the EPA policy of reasonable
MRL是根据环境保护局的政策制定的
certainty of no harm and the enforcement and
这项政策的实行和推广十分广泛
monitoring of these programs is extensive.
实施过程中的监督也是十分重要
