1. I eat lot of vegetables, spinach and fruits daily. Why I need to worry about health?

Vegetables and Fruits contribute to our physical and mental growth, our well –being, out ability to fight diseases etc… But if we consume large amount of toxic pesticide sprayed vegetables, spinach and fruits, then along with nutrition we are also consuming poison, and that defeats the very purpose of eating the food in the first place.

2. How chemical pesticides in food affects children?

Children are much more susceptible to health effects of toxic pesticides. Children's ability to degrade pesticides in the liver and their immune system protections are not fully developed. Pesticide effects in the unborn and in infants can have lifelong effects. For instance, the risk of neurological or behavioral problems following early pesticide exposure extends through puberty, as the reproductive system, nervous system, and brain continue to grow.

3. How toxic pesticides in vegetables and food affects pregnant women and adults?

When a pregnant woman eats vegetables contaminated with pesticides, the fetus can be exposed to the harmful chemical and cause birth defects. Plus pesticides can be passed from mother to child in the womb, as well as through breast milk. Pesticides have been linked to wide range of human health hazards, ranging from short-term impacts such as headaches and nausea to chronic impacts like cancer, reproductive damages, and endocrine disruption. Pesticides can cause many types of cancer in humans. Some of the most prevalent forms include leukemia, brain, bone, breast, ovarian, prostate, testicular and liver cancers. Endocrine disruption can produce infertility and a variety of birth defects and developmental defects in offspring including hormonal imbalance and incomplete sexual development, impaired brain development, behavioral disorders, and many other

4. Why would pesticides be on the market if they were not safe?

Like alcohol and tobacco, pesticides are legal toxic products. Because they are legal does not mean they are safe.

5. Is there any research and study about the harmful effects of pesticides in food?

Recent study in India found high usage of the organochlorine pesticide endosulfan has lead to bone marrow of children with blood cancers. Six out of 26 children with blood cancer tested positive for endosulfan in the bone marrow compared to one out of 26 children who did not have blood cancer. (Published in the journal Indian pediatrics Source : http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=7575)

6. What is the alternative for these chemical sprayed foods?

Organic foods. Organic foods are those are cultivated without synthetic manures and toxic pesticides. It also means that it is completely free from dangerous insecticides, synthetic additives, artificial colours and life risky toxic and dangerous chemicals.

7. What are the health benefits of Organic food?

Organic foods, especially raw or non-processed, contain higher levels of beta carotene, vitamins C, D and E, health-promoting polyphenols, cancer-fighting antioxidants, flavonoids. Organic food contains qualitatively higher levels of essential minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium), that are severely depleted in chemical foods grown on pesticide and nitrate fertilizer-abused soil. Eating organic has the potential to lower the incidence of autism, learning disorders, diabetes, cancer, coronary heart disease, allergies, osteoporosis, migraines, dementia, and hyperactivity. Organic food is more flavorful. Many people prefer organic food because they say it tastes better.

• Pregnant ladies : Consuming organic food by pregnant ladies is more safe because the essential nutrients passed to fetus should be free from toxic dangerous chemicals.
• Infants : Food consumed is changed to mother's milk and fed to infants. Hence there is high risk if you consume non organic foods which are filled with pesticide residues and chemicals.
• Kids : Increases the antioxidants levels and immune systems. Hence they develop good stamina and are free from frequent fevers, cold, asthma and thyroid problems.
• Adults : Increase strength and metabolic levels. Helps in balancing the body weight and avoids the risk of cancer, diabetes, Hypertension. Most important is organic food reduces impotency levels and increases fertility.
• Old Age : Keeps your blood sugar and blood pressure in control. Gives more energy as your digestive systems absorbs only minerals but not toxic and dangerous chemicals.

8. How organic farming is different from non-organic farming?

In organic farming traditional and indigenous methods like cow dung manure, cow urine, panchagavya, herbal leaf extracts, bio fertilizers, bio pesticides, vermicompost, earth worm manures are used to cultivate crops. The pests and insects are controlled using extracts of Neem, Noochi, Thulasi leaves and biological methods.

9. Are organic foods are costly?

Not always. Would you bargain with your doctor if you get any disease? People are ready to spend in lakhs for diseases but concerned to spend some extra rupees for healthy and non-toxic food.
We are born to enjoy this gifted life but not to drag our lives with deadly diseases.

10. Is there any problem if we change our practice from Non organic to organic?

You are enhancing from worse food to better food, and hence there are no harmful effects.

11. What are all the products that I can get from POFA?

Green leaves (or) Spinach, Vegetables, seasonal Fruits, Rice, Edible Oils, Ghee, Dhalls,Organic Milk, Organic Curd.