“The plastic package of Earthbound Farm baby arugula in Whole Foods was grown without synthetic fertilizers; no toxic pesticides or fumigants were used to control insect predators; no herbicides were applied to deal with weeds; no genes from other species were introduced into its genome to increase yield or pest resistance; no irradiation was used to extend its shelf life. It complies with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program, a set of standards that came into full effect in 2002 to regulate the commercial use of the word ‘organic.’ So what’s the problem?”

And so begins a new discussion of the organics industry as it stands now, ‘Paradise Sold’ from the May 15 issue of The New Yorker. Written by Harvard professor Steven Shapin, it’s well worth the read.