Consumers buy organic food because it’s a healthy alternative to the many overly processed foods on the market, most of which contain synthetic additives, preservatives, hormones, and dyes. They also do not expect their organic fruit to be grown with the use of antibiotics, much like they do not expect it to be irradiated, genetically engineered, sprayed with persistent toxic pesticides, or fertilized with toxic sewage sludge. Even knowing this, regulators were persuaded by organic apple and pear growers to temporarily allow the spraying of antibiotics in their orchards until suitable alternatives were identified to manage the highly destructive fire blight problem. But such exemptions are only temporarily, according to OFPA. And, organic’s underlying tenant of continuous improvement provided the basis for the NOSB to decide to force an end to antibiotic use, based upon stakeholder input and evidences about available alternatives.