With the world's population ever increasing, the demand for food is higher than ever. This increase in food demand also requires more efficient ways of growing and supplying food. Two very controversial methods are the organic method and the conventional one. While many people advocate organic for its known benefits, others believe it is an overly inflated industry that scams consumers. But recently many studies have refuted these criticisms. These studies show that organic food is a better choice than conventional food because it is better for the environment, avoids the use of chemicals and is generally more beneficial. To prevent crops from being destroyed, conventional farmers use many methods such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Nearly 1 billion pounds of these chemicals (“pesticides”) are used each year. Because of this overuse, some scientists express concern that the use of artificial chemicals in the agricultural process could produce unhealthy crops. People who eat it over a long period of time may suffer from worsening health and stunted growth (“organic foods”). For example, in 1989, the EPA banned the use of Alar, a chemical used to ripen apples (“Agriculture, Organics”). This chemical was found to be carcinogenic after causing tumors in mice following several laboratory tests (“Organic Foods”). As a result of these results there has been a dramatic increase in sales of organic foods (“Organic Food”). Another study found that atrazine (one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States) has the potential to be carcinogenic and reduce sperm count in males (“organic food”). This was further demonstrated when evidence was found that chemicals u...... half of the paper ......nic Food”). Works cited “Organic agriculture”. Food and nutrition. Marshall Cavendish Digital, 2011. Web. May 16, 2011. "Organic Foods." Issues and controversies on file: n. page Problems and controversies. Facts On File News Services, June 8, 2007. Web. May 18, 2011. "Organic Foods." Food and nutrition. Marshall Cavendish Digital, 2011. Web. May 13, 2011. "Pesticides." Issues and controversies on file: n. page Problems and controversies. Facts On File News Services, July 18, 2005. Web. May 20, 2011. .Reganold, John P. et.al. "Sustainability of the three apple production system". Take a stand. Guilford, Conn.: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2004. 298-304.