Farmer/polymath Gary Jones, on organic food fetishes:
It is not good for the environment. Small farmers - real small farmers not life-stylers who pretend to be farmers while living off wealth accumulated in other ways or off-farm income - would be helped much more by simply choosing to consume local products than entertaining an organic fetish.
Many of the smartest and most environmentally caring practices, those most considerate of livestock well being as well as human health, are forbidden by organic religion. Treating an injured animal with an antibiotic means it is not organic. Fertilizing your pasture so that you don't have to use grain supplements is not organic. Even using a fly spray for the comfort and health of animals is forbidden.
The most thoughtful and environmentally aware livestock operations are not organic. They use antibiotics - but only when it is the best response, sparingly, both because it's smart environmentalism and because it is smart economics...
Those interested in food and agriculture and farming issues should check out his agriculture - farming subject archive for more bracing commentary.