Butch,

We are using chemicals in our food production, and usually responsibly.
Whether we can produce more food is an open question.
Sure, I don't like us importing anything we can reasonably produce ourselves.

Organic, manual and biological pest control methods are being employed successfully in some sectors - bird mesh, promotion of 'predator insects', planting of 'companion' species - as well as development of 'resistant' crop strains, use of 'no till', water-table management, etc. There are options.

There is heavy reliance on insecticides in many developing countries, and we all end up sharing this finite 'polluted' environment - through run-off into the oceans, into the atmosphere and in some imported foods.

Maybe organic can never match the productivity of non-organic, but I'm not sure the energy demand (apart from manual labour) would be much different.
My main concern is the excessive (and potentially abusive) use of toxic chemicals in the developing and developed world, and the lack of concern to develop better, and less toxic alternatives.

World food and energy supply is an advancing problem, but it will serve us no good if we poison the planet and ourselves in the voracious quest for growth, capital, and unsustainable development.

Saltpetre, unless your idea of organic farming is this group of Armish like folk, all carrying their cane baskets full of hand picked food back to their horse and cart, you are kidding yourself if you think organic farming does not use more energy per ton of saleable food.

You have to remember, Nathans suggestion is that we grow and use Organics exclusively.

Finally, as for research, it's just that, research and, if and when an alternative to chemicals is found as a reliable replacement, by all means we can go there, but in the mean time we have little alternative but to continue along the same path.

Just on that matter, there have been non chemical developments within food production, or more so, insect control, but these quickly get bought up by chemical companies, only to be shelved. This is where the law makers need to become involved.

My original post for a strong stance on organic food - is that unless there is action taken by people now - it will later see governments step in, and then people will complain about being over-governed.

We must eat a healthier diet. It can't be legally enforced, but if you look at people in hospital suffering an illness because of a junk filled diet - we must change. I had one person question silver-beet.

Also worldwide too much food is being produced or wasted. With our Prime Minister Tony Abbott's recent deal with China, I remember Foxy saying this was a good move, but still had poor results in the polls. What does this deal achieve? What about assisting poorer counties with their food production? Cutting foreign aid?

We also need a more clean, environmentally friendly farming system, which we must have in some form, which includes organic food.

Do we want future generations left to clean up the mess worldwide?

P.S Don't forget your increased taxes are paying for people in hospital - junk food related. So mandatory organic is something I'm expecting - unless we change our lives now.

Dear Nathan,

<<We must eat a healthier diet.>>

Why? Isn't death an option?

Most of us WANT to eat a healthier diet.
Most of us would do so if it's cheaper.
But "must"? - That's one of the least healthy words!

<<P.S Don't forget your increased taxes are paying for people in hospital - junk food related.>>

Than stop that! Allow people to pay their own medical bills!

The problem is that most people end up in hospitals and aged-care facilities regardless whether they eat well or otherwise: the only difference is whether they do so earlier or later.

Nathan, you speak as of junk food is the only option, which it's not.

I eat quite a bit of canned tuna, John West of cause, but, rather than with biscuits, i use carrot sticks.

I have long said that self induced harm should not receive free medical treatment, so that's where we should start. The other option is to increase the GST on junk foods to 50%.

Butch,

I'm surprised you don't make mention of good ol' stunningly-healthy red meat and two veg in your normal healthy diet.

Then again, I'm aware that some dairy farmers won't drink milk and/or eat cream, although they are not lactose-intolerant; a relationship aversion I guess.

However, I'd be very surprised if that tuna didn't contain some chemical residues - it being a predator fish and fairly high up the food chain.
One thing I can be sure of is that the grass-fed beef I produce contains no residuals whatsoever - although I have not gone to the trouble of being certified an 'organic' producer.

Eat hail and hearty, Butch, and I hope you live long and prosper.

(PS. I also occasionally eat tuna, and salmon - for the Omega3. Dolphin-friendly of course.)