Perhaps I am overly critical, but with nearly 7 billion mouths to feed and nearly three decades of living through various 'food scares' I have grown rather distressed over these matters. I actually have much respect for Salatin, and am an organic grower myself, though a notorious cheater, just harvested some last fresh brocolli from my garden even though there's snow on the ground, making a nice soup of it right now in the crockpot. I expect to harvest more from my garden this year, on account of some of those organic methods.

As with all these things, the simple answer is a diversified diet, not eating too much of one thing, not spending twice as much for a product which may even be inferior to standard agriculture. Not under producing from land that could be feeding more mouths because it appeals to people to buy food they think is somehow safer or superior when the facts simply do not support their claims. For all the ranting people engage in about our government, the FDA and USDA do a very good job protecting us from harmful products, and I think we should give them a bit of trust. In the name of glorious organic farming, I have heard people say the Haber-Bosch process itself produces fertilizer that is dangerous because it is made from ammonia, and has nitrates in it, and I have little tolerance for those who spread or even fail to confront such nonsense. And, having noted your comment about having an AG degree, I remind you that it is our job as scientists to confront such things, with zero tolerance for any exageration of the facts.