Essays debate certain controversial issues concerning organic food, covering such topics as whether organic fertilizers are more hazardous than pesticides, whether organic food is worth the extra expense, and the role of large companies in the organic food movement.

Organic food: an overview / Katherine J. Chen -- National standards for organic food /United States Department of Agriculture -- Consumers should not support organic foods / Rob Johnston -- Non-organic foods are coated with pesticides / Vegetarians in Paradise -- Organic fertilizers pose more health risks than pesticides / Stanley Feldman -- The mass-marketing of organic food presents an ethical dilemma / Katherine Mangu-Ward -- Large companies compromise the organic food movement / Family Farm Defenders -- Large companies play an important role in the organic food movement / Samuel Fromartz -- Organic food is worth the extra expense / Alex Johnson -- Organic food is not worth the extra expense / Andrew Ellison -- Government subsidies could lower the cost of organic food / Christy Harrison -- The organic food market faces many challenges / Kimberley Kindy -- Organic farming offers learning opportunities for volunteer workers / Tracie Cone -- Organic farm workers are as mistreated as non-organic farm workers / Jason Mark.