تدريب Shadowing: Should Organic Food Be So Expensive? - تعلم التحدث بالإنجليزية مع YouTube

We gave these two shoppers the same exact grocery list.

⏸ متوقف مؤقتاً

السرعة:

248 جمل

إذا كانت الجمل قصيرة أو طويلة جدًا، انقر على Edit لتعديلها.

We gave these two shoppers the same exact grocery list.

But there's just one difference.

This shopper is only buying food that has this label.

Organic iceberg lettuce costs $5.99, more than double the price of regular iceberg lettuce.

A pound of organic ground beef costs $14.99,

about 80% more than a pound of regular ground beef.

And this pint of organic blueberries cost $12.99,

44.5% more than the regular pint.

In total, the all-organic shopper spent 72.4% more.

The organic label was designed to give Americans a trustworthy standard for healthier food.

But decades later, it's become a system that rewards large companies and leaves many small farmers behind.

We can't use the O word,

the organic word, on any packaging, any promotions, any advertising.

So what makes organic food so expensive?

And if some food grown organically can't be labeled as such,

is organic really worth the extra cost?

Before the 1940s, most food grown in the U.S would have been considered organic by today's standards.

But that changed in the aftermath of World War II.

Chemicals originally developed for combat were repurposed as synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

Farmers began using them on farms across the U.S.

And it worked.

Crop yields increased and food production surged.

But this practice sparked a backlash,

centered on one chemical in particular.

It's a mouthful to say,

so people call it DDT for short.

DDT was originally used to protect soldiers from malaria,

but it is also really good at controlling crop-damaging pests.

Less dependence upon nature and more control in managing his crop."

It soon became one of the most widely used pesticides in the world.

Then in 1962, marine biologist Rachel Carson took direct aim at DDT in her book Silent Spring.

She warned that the chemical was contaminating ecosystems,

disrupting food chains, and endangering human health.

The book laid the groundwork for the organic movement and demand for organic food increased throughout the 70s,

80s and 90s.

But there was no consensus about what what organic was.

What was the definition of organic?

Some states had their own organic standards and there were private organic standards.

That all changed in 1990.

That year, Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act.

It led to the creation of the National Organic Program and a unified definition of organic.

Food made without synthetic pesticides,

synthetic fertilizers, and later genetically modified organisms.

It started this movement towards the national standard,

which really was helpful to the industry because people knew what they were buying when they bought organic.

In 2002, the U.S.

Department of Agriculture took it a step further by establishing uniform national standards for the production,

handling and labeling of organic food,

creating the USDA Organic Seal.

Today, organic food in the U.S is a $70.1 billion industry,

so there's a lot of money to be made if you can get the organic label.

We traveled to Sonora, Mexico to see what it takes and how much it costs to get the official seal.

Wholesome Family Farms runs 86 acres of farmland in both the U.S and Mexico.

What we do here is all organic.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers.

These are what we call tomatoes on the vine,

four or five per cluster.

These are cherries on the vine.

We grow our long English cucumbers or Euro cucumbers.

The produce grown here is sold year round at retail grocery stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts.

Even though Wholesome has been around for nearly a century,

it received its first organic certification in 1992 before turning the whole company organic in 2010.

My dad went to school in California in the 60s and read the book Silent Spring.

We began experimenting in the 80s and then my brothers and I came to the business in the late 90s, early 2000s.

And in 2010, we decided to convert the whole company to organic.

Making the switch to organic wasn't cheap.

Even before certification costs, there are tons of other expenses that go into organic farming,

Like these $5.5 million, six-acre greenhouses,

where Wholesome grows 65,000 tomato plants.

Greenhouse growing is a popular method for organic farming because it can prevent pests from reaching the plants.

It also helps farmers control temperature and humidity for crops,

which can help prevent fungal diseases.

But greenhouses like these are a big investment.

Just one of these structures can cost $55,000 a year to maintain.

And greenhouses are just the first step in Wholesome's fight against pests.

All this hands-on work comes with a price.

says it pays 10% more in labor costs just from pest control and prevention.

Once the infestation is in the greenhouse,

it's very hard to correct it.

They're natural systems, so that means that you can't really control it all.

Natural pest control methods like these are typically less effective than pesticides,

which can eliminate infestations more quickly.

In a conventional field, what you could do is use a pesticide that is strong enough.

You might not be able to harvest for a week or two,

but at least you've salvaged the crop.

For us, an event like that would mean clean it out and start all over again.

So we are scouting for whiteflies,

angiutatas, aphids, much more carefully than a conventional grower would.

is what really kind of drives the economics in agriculture.

Our ability to produce is hindered by all the circumstances that we have to deal with.

And it reduces our yield for sure.

To retain its certification, Wholesome Farms has to pass an inspection every year.

They all check all our records of what we did through the year,

what inputs we used, how many and how much products we actually harvest, we sold.

There's also a lot of tracking of providing traceability to make sure there is compliance with the standards.

They will look for evidence that we're actually doing a prevention program.

They will look to make sure that the crop is there.

Wilsom says all of these additional steps in organic operations cost

it 20 to 25 percent more than they would on a conventional farm.

100

And that's all before the price of the certification itself.

101

According to the USDA, the average annual organic certification cost rose from approximately $1,500 in 2014 to around $2,800 by 2019.

102

On top of that, new farms seeking certification have to pay an application fee.

103

And for farmers renewing certification,

104

there's an annual renewal fee.

105

We typically spend about $35,000 in certifying the company,

106

and we have to abide by a regulatory framework established by the USDA.

107

For large farms like Wholesome,

108

these costs are a drop in the bucket.

109

In 2025, Wholesome Family Farms made approximately $105 million in revenue.

110

I think the USDA organic seal,

111

which you can see here in our boxes,

112

is what people know, that that's something that they can trust.

113

According to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, 75% of all U.S agricultural sales come from large farming operations,

114

a consolidation trend that extends across the organic sector as well.

115

Some small farms like this one used to be certified organic,

116

but no longer are because they say they can't afford the certification fees,

117

even though they still follow organic requirements.

118

Harry Jones has run his family-owned blueberry farm since 2018.

119

Unlike Wholesome, Bridge Avenue Berries primarily focuses on a single crop.

120

We have almost seven acres of blueberries out there, about 3,800 plants.

121

We filmed with them weeks before the start of blueberry season.

122

We are in central Pennsylvania,

123

right along the west branch of the Susquehanna River,

124

which gives us wonderful soil,

125

which is perfect for growing blueberries.

126

When he and his wife Susan first bought the farm,

127

they saw the benefits of investing in USDA organic certification.

128

If you're USDA certified organic,

129

that's an accomplishment, that's an achievement,

130

and people are going to notice that

131

and hopefully build more value in the marketplace than what we would have if we were not organic.

132

They transitioned to a certified organic farm in 2021.

133

Being USDA certified organic certainly opened up opportunities and the public perception was,

134

woo, clean blueberries to eat.

135

This is good stuff, you know.

136

We had people stop here who said,

137

man, I've looked for an organic blueberry farm for a long time.

138

You're here.

139

We had three local newspapers put it out when we became certified organic and we did see sales increase.

140

We saw people coming to the farm who had never been here.

141

And so that was good.

142

At the time, Harry and Susan sold their blueberries for $3.50 a pint.

143

We knew we had more costs and we knew we had to charge more for our berries and so we did.

144

Still, the cost of staying certified organic started to add up.

145

The biggest thing was the $1,400 a year going out the door.

146

We're a small blueberry farm.

147

So that took a large chunk out of our net profit, really.

148

Harry and Susan decided not to maintain their USDA certification three years later in 2024.

149

But they've continued to farm using organic methods.

150

Just like the farmers at Wholesome,

151

they use natural solutions and techniques to prevent pests and fungal disease.

152

We put out sticky traps and we look for a fruit fly that likes to lay its eggs in the blueberries.

153

But as soon as we see them hit the sticky traps,

154

we will apply a spray.

155

It's called Grandivo.

156

It's derived from soil funguses that some scientists someplace found,

157

which I am grateful for.

158

And that controls our blueberry fruit fly population.

159

We spray a lime sulfur mix early in the spring to control Phomopsis tip blight,

160

which is a fungal disease.

161

Harry says he uses organic fertilizers to keep the farm soil healthy.

162

You take care of that soil,

163

you produce a plant that's healthy and vibrant,

164

and then it produces berries that smell like blueberries,

165

that taste like blueberries, and this is proof

166

that growing organically really makes a difference in the quality of food that we eat.

167

Despite their all-natural growing methods,

168

Harry says, We can't use the O word,

169

the organic word, on any packaging, any promotions, any advertising.

170

Without organic certification, Harry and Susan have to charge less than certified competitors.

171

That's pushed them to sell locally or directly to consumers,

172

which gives them control over pricing,

173

but a smaller customer base.

174

We sell by the pound.

175

And I think this past year we were at $2.70 a pound, $2.70 a pound.

176

It would be nice to be able to charge more,

177

but do you charge more and not sell your product?

178

Or do you charge what you can,

179

the traffic will bear and sell your product?

180

We're not going broke, but are we recovering everything that we've put into this?

181

No, we're probably not.

182

So how do all these costs show up for consumers?

183

Turns out plenty of Americans are still willing to pay extra for that little green label.

184

According to Fortune, nearly 90 percent of U.S shoppers recognize the USDA organic seal and more than 70 percent trust it.

185

Consumers believe in it and they they believe that if it says it's organic that it actually is organic.

186

I think that there still is trust in the government to regulate food.

187

Demand is especially high among younger shoppers.

188

A 2025 Organic Treat Association survey found millennials and Gen Z buy the most organic food,

189

driven by a desire to avoid pesticides,

190

GMOs, synthetic hormones, and antibiotics.

191

But is organic always the healthier option?

192

The short answer?

193

It depends.

194

Organic foods tend to have lower levels of pesticide residue, residue.

195

And some studies show higher levels of certain antioxidants, especially in produce.

196

But when it comes to overall vitamins,

197

minerals and macronutrients, the differences are often minimal.

198

Some researchers have found that there's a halo effect,

199

so people think organic is more healthy.

200

Even though that really hasn't been proven,

201

there's the safety side that it wouldn't have pesticide residue,

202

but there's no there's no scientific consensus that it's healthier.

203

And not all foods benefit equally when it comes to organic.

204

Take a look at the groceries our shoppers bought earlier.

205

According to the Environmental Working Group's 2026 Shoppers Guide,

206

organic avocados and bananas may offer limited benefits in reducing pesticide exposure because they have thick skins that typically don't get eaten.

207

Meanwhile, foods eaten whole, like blueberries,

208

are more likely to retain residues if not grown organically.

209

Meat and dairy products can also have higher pesticide exposure through animal feed,

210

making organic options often the better choice.

211

I buy both conventional and organic,

212

so I'm not just set on only having organic.

213

I actually am more into the quality of the produce.

214

For organic food consumers, there is some good news.

215

The price gap between organic and conventional food is shrinking.

216

In 2021, prices for organic produce cost about 71% more than conventional ones.

217

Today, that gap is closer to 61%.

218

That shift is being driven by more organic production and better supply chain efficiency,

219

which have brought organic prices down.

220

But organic still comes at a premium,

221

even as grocery prices have risen across the board.

222

If things continue the way that they're going,

223

I expect that it will be for the higher income people and not for the lower income people.

224

Meanwhile, the USDA gives small farmers financial relief through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program,

225

which reimburses organic farmers for up to 75% of certification costs.

226

Congress failed to fund the program for 2025,

227

and funding for 2026 still hasn't been released.

228

Other farmers have instead turned to alternative natural certifications, like Harry and Susan.

229

Bridge Avenue Berries has been certified naturally grown since 2024.

230

Certified Naturally Grown is a grassroots program that follows similar standards to organic,

231

but uses peer inspections rather than government certifiers,

232

making it more affordable for small farmers.

233

We're not a mega bazillion pound blueberry producer.

234

We're a small producer.

235

And they also function off of the National Organic Program.

236

Harry says it's also been more cost effective.

237

So instead of paying $1,450 or $1,450 a year,

238

we pay about $350 a year.

239

There are often times that I have to explain.

240

We are still farming organically.

241

We've just changed our certifying agency.

242

And as soon as you say that,

243

people are like, oh, okay, that's good.

244

We just think it's a good fit.

245

And we wanted our customers to be comfortable with the fact that we're being audited,

246

we're being checked, we're being kept honest.

247

And we want them to know that they're going home with good food.

248

you

TRENDING

الأكثر شعبية

ما هي تقنية التظليل الصوتي؟

التظليل الصوتي (Shadowing) تقنية تعلم لغة مدعومة علمياً، طُورت أصلاً لتدريب المترجمين الفوريين المحترفين. الطريقة بسيطة لكنها قوية: تستمع لصوت إنجليزي أصلي وتكرره فوراً بصوت عالٍ — كظل يتبع المتحدث بتأخير 1-2 ثانية. تُظهر الأبحاث تحسناً كبيراً في دقة النطق والتنغيم والإيقاع وربط الأصوات والاستماع والطلاقة.

☕ اشترِ لنا قهوة

يظل ShadowingEnglish مجانيًا بنسبة 100% بفضل دعمكم. تكاليف الخوادم والذكاء الاصطناعي مرتفعة — قهوتكم تبقينا مستمرين! 🙏

التبرع عبر PayPal

ShadowingEnglish.com – تمرين التظليل الصوتي للإنجليزية

تحدث الإنجليزية بطلاقة باستخدام تقنية التظليل الصوتي. استمع لفيديوهات يوتيوب الأصلية، كرر جملة بجملة، وابنِ نطقاً حقيقياً وطلاقة — يستخدمها متعلمو IELTS حول العالم.

تدريب Shadowing: Should Organic Food Be So Expensive? - تعلم التحدث بالإنجليزية مع YouTube

الأكثر شعبية

عن هذه الدرسة

المفردات والعبارات الرئيسية

نصائح للممارسة

ما هي تقنية التظليل الصوتي؟

تدريب Shadowing: Should Organic Food Be So Expensive? - تعلم التحدث بالإنجليزية مع YouTube

تنزيل التطبيق

عن هذه الدرسة

المفردات والعبارات الرئيسية

نصائح للممارسة

ما هي تقنية التظليل الصوتي؟