Yaakov Doe: Yes, there is equivalent to hechsarim. Organic certification agencies inspect farms. They are very strict. A farmer has to cease using non-organic inputs for three years, and only after that can the produce by certified organic. The federal government (USDA) promulgates organic standards, which are enforced by certification agencies. Many organic growers intentionally go “beyond” organic by using additional practices they’ve developed.
There are some small farms who use organic methods, with no spraying of pesticides or artificial fertilizers, yet who don’t get organic certification because of the cost. If you go to a farmer’s market, some farmers will have signs saying “no spray.” It’s not as reliable as organic certification, but many people trust the individual farmers and enjoy getting to know them as they buy from them each week.
As for whether it’s healthier, there are conflicting studies. Many studies show that non-organic produce contains small amounts of pesticides. The effects on health of such small amounts are in most cases unknown but as these are often carcinogens or hormone-disrupting chemicals, many epidemiologists believe they may have negative health effects.
Other studies have shown that organic produce has more vitamins and anti-oxidants than non-organic produce — so while it costs more, you may be getting more nutrition. Other studies have contested this finding, and claim that there is no difference. Mark Bittman has a good recent column critiquing a recent study that purported to show organics are no better.
In my opinion, it is probably better for health, though we can’t know for sure and it depends on the vegetables (some absorb or are grown with more pesticides than others). What’s not controversial is the fact that organic agriculture pollutes far less than non-organic. Pesticide run off kills fish and aquatic wildlife, and has created a huge “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. Nearly all this pollution is unececessary, because organic methods produce similar or even higher yields (though labor costs are higher).