tvBarbara H. Peterson

Farm Wars

There I was again, in the organic section of the market, watching as people bypassed the organic bananas, which were $.89/lb, in favor of the non-organic for $.69/lb. They are located right next to each other. I stood there for a little while and watched as this went on. Granted, organic costs more. And sometimes, a lot more. If you are counting your pennies, non-organic can be quite attractive. But why, if the price is nearly the same, would anyone choose pesticide-laden produce over non-pesticide-laden produce?

Let’s do the math: 5 pounds of organic bananas = $4.45. 5 pounds of non-organic bananas = $3.45. That’s a ONE DOLLAR difference. Less than the price of a cup of Starbucks coffee. Quite frankly, I’m at a loss at why people would willingly poison themselves to save a dollar. One dollar. Are we really that brainwashed? Unfortunately, for most of the American population, the answer is yes.

We believe what the TV commercials tell us without question, because they are not supposed to deceive. We believe what the government agencies tell us without question because we have been brought up to believe that authority figures do not lie, and always know best. Yet the history of the FDA, EPA, USDA, and various other alphabet soup agencies tells us that we were and are being systematically poisoned by substances rubber-stamped as “safe.” Substances that any intelligent person who does a bit of research knows is harmful.

When I was a child, I remember watching a commercial on a black and white television. The actress was selling a product. I asked my mother: “Mommy, does that lady use the stuff she is selling herself?” My mother said: “Probably not, Honey.” I said: “If she doesn’t use it, why is she telling people it is so good?” To which my mother replied: “She is getting paid to, dear.” I said: “So it is okay to lie as long as you get money for it?” She didn’t answer.

It is funny how we, as children, know innately the difference between the truth and a lie, and then, as we grow older, the line becomes blurred until we no longer know or want to know. That’s just the way things are, and we go along in a state of cognitive dissonance, never questioning the status quo. Until one day, some of us can take it no longer and stand up and say: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!”


We are being lied to as a matter of course by those whom we have been conditioned to believe are not capable of lying. It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee, folks. The FDA and majority of corporations you see on TV are lying for a buck. They want you to sell your health for 20 cents so that they can pocket the change. They don’t care about you. They never have. The only one who can decide what you put in your mouth is you. That is, until you no longer have a choice because you have spent your life in apathy, believing the lies, not caring enough to make your own decisions about your health and well-being, and allowing those whose goal is to profit off of your disease to win.

©2016 Barbara H. Peterson

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11 Responses to “Selling your health for 20 cents per pound”

  1. Actually, the chemical ones and the organic ones ripen at about the same rate…

  2. sharonsj says:

    Let me explain why people pass up the slightly more expensive organic bananas. Right now, because it’s hot, any banana must be eaten quickly or it will go bad. And you cannot store bananas in a refrigerator.

    So let’s say it’s winter. I still wouldn’t buy five pounds of bananas at a clip unless I had a very large family (which I don’t) and they were all willing to eat bananas daily. Aside from that, the extra dollar, that you think is a small amount, really isn’t.

    My food stamp allotment in Pennsylvania is $50 a month. I remember standing in the supermarket with $20 to my name and needing to buy a weeks’ worth of meals. I could only afford what was on sale and, if you’ve ever paid attention, what’s on sale is the least healthful food available: soda, white bread, American cheese, and hot dogs. There was no way I would have spent $4.50 on bananas or any kind of expensive fruits and vegetables.

  3. DJ Perry says:

    I salute Barbara & the anti-GMO Movement for helping one State of the USA, VT, to demand labeling of GMOs. This was brought home the other day in Subway where their new small bags of chips say
    “Contains genetically modified ingredients.”
    I didn’t buy any but would never have known, otherwise! I think we should talk about the hypocrisy of Subway who is better than average fast-food places but still sells GMO containing products without labeling which veggies for sandwiches contain GMOs! Labeling can make a difference FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW AND DO THE RIGHT THING!
    Barbara’s article says a sad truth, here about peoples’ priorities. I’ve met people who think the government, Obamacare health insurance system is supposed to financially cover and correct via meds their own self-abuse of their bodies through bad diet and living habits!

  4. I believe that we can change our own lives to fit what we believe, become an example for others and share the message as best we can. The more people that wake up, the better. That being said, the majority of people simply will not wake up, and that is a fact. If you read the Scriptures, they address this very thing. We cannot expect people who have no desire nor inclination to hear the message to change. It simply will not happen. It’s like beating your head against a brick wall. One step at a time, even if it seems insignificant, is a milestone. We just need to keep moving forward and not look back.

  5. Abe says:

    So what do we do???
    On average Americans are the dumbest people on earth. With that said, we’re a nation 320 million souls. I’m willing to bet there are 1 million Americans that can still think for themselves.
    So what do we do?
    I know what I’d like to do, but I can’t put it in print. What I’d like to do to them whores in DC, would make Rambo a panty waist!
    So what do we do?????
    I know the answer is out there, whats obvious to one isn’t to all.

    Are The Good Times Really Over For Good

  6. George H says:

    Fortunately I’m still able to afford organic comestibles (fingers crossed) but when I have to ocassionally go into a Safeway like store, I can actually faintly smell the pesticides on the fruits and vegetables, and there is a certain miasma enveloping the store and lingering in the aisles, and overall I can detect a subtle diminution of the life force in the customers and the cashiers alike, with more frowns than smiles adorning the automatons who move through these dead spaces. Now whether or not I’m imagining these subtle energies, it’s hard to tell, but eating organic food floods the body with healthy sustenance, which poisioned foodstuff cannot do. And the difference is readily apparent. Nutrient dense organic foods create strong immune systems, but toxic gmos destroy that system. But don’t take my word for it, just ask Dr. Serralini, who’ll tell you all about it, but don’t bother to ask his unfortunate tumor ridden lab rats, they can’t squeak about it anymore BECAUSE THEY’RE ALL DEAD.

  7. Karen Scribner says:

    Organic bananas may even cost less to produce but as the demand is less, the price must be higher. Also people waste so much they don’t like to buy quality. I have several frozen bananas in the freezer waiting to be used. Just put them in whole, they have their own package.

  8. Tanner says:

    Abe- Great clip. Thank you. I’ll forward it.

  9. Tanner says:

    I’m surrounded by people who think nothing of buying gas, insurance and registration for their “toys,” like RVs, motorcycles, boats, new cars, quads, etc…but won’t buy organic produce because “they can’t afford it.” I just shake my head because it is so very strange to me. Apparently they think they’re not worth nourishing themselves in a nontoxic way, but the state and oil companies are worth spending their money on.

    To KM’s post: I can taste and smell the difference between organic and nonorganic produce. Nonorganic is absolutely flavorless and dull in comparison.

  10. km says:

    If big pharma and big agra are running the show, then you really don’t know if what you are paying extra for is (organic). Places like Whole Foods have been found to lie about so-called organic products! Local farmers are the only way to know for sure, the rest is just a guessing game!

  11. Abe says:

    It’s a racket ain’t it? Most people are to dim lit to get it, or to impoverished to have a choice. No collusion, coercion, or corruption to be seen here.

    What if……. The farm bills were reversed? The organic banana was 20 cents less. Well this would piss off big pharma who makes a killing on people eating shit.

    I’m not going to go into a big rant. Just because every one on this site would agree about how rigged the system is.

    So what do we do?
    One on one works, but to slow and to few. But we are gaining ground. Just not fast enough.

    Why America isn’t the greatest country in the world anymore.