ORGANIC FARMING

The neutrality of this article is disputed.

Organic farming is the production of plant and animal food products using techniques that aim to develop biological diversity, improve soil fertility and without the use of synthetic persticides or fertilizers. Different legislated standards for organic status exist, but common themes include:

• Avoiding the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
• Avoiding depletion of natural resources.
• "Humane" treatment of animals.

One early goal of the organic movement was to encourage consumption of locally grown food, which was promoted through slogans such as "Know Your Food, Know Your Farmer". With the promulgation of national (or regional) standards for production of organic food, this goal has been diverted to the sidelines, with the large percentage of certified organic food now coming from corporate farmers such as General Mills and Kraft Foods.

There are a variety of reasons why organic farming is growing in popularity. One is public fear of foodstuffs with possibly harmful chemicals. Another is possible environmental damage. Yet another is the possibility of immediate side-effects, such as, for example, the destruction of beneficial soil organisms by the use of ammonium nitrate.

Many people consider organic foods to be superior to conventionally produced foods because they believe one or more of the following:

• organic food tastes better
• organic food is more nutritious
• organic food is less likely to contain harmful chemicals
• the cultural methods used to produce them are worthy of promoting.

Studies to date have shown no significant differences regarding taste and nutritional content between organic and conventional foods. The research of Baker et al (Food Add Contam 19:427-446) found that organically grown produce had one-third the pesticide residue of conventionally grown produce. The potential harmfulness of these residues was not established.

Because of growing consumer demand, organic farming in developed economies has, in recent years, been growing by about 20% per annum.

A current market trend is the availability of organic fiber for clothing, such as cotton. Proponents of organic fiber point to exceptionally high levels of the use of pesticides and other chemicals in conventional fiber production, and claim environmental abuse through conventional agriculture.

Many nations now offer organic certification for their farmers. In the USA, for example, there is now (2003) a national set of standards. To be certified organic, the land must have been used only for organic production for a certain number of years prior to certification, and only certain naturally-derived chemicals may be used on crops.

In the United Kingdom organic certification is handled by a number of organizations, of which the largest are the Soil Association and Organic Farmers and Growers. All the certifying bodies are subject to the regulations of the UK Register of Organic Food Standards, UKROFS, which itself is bound by European Union (EU) legislation.

In Sweden, organic certification is handled by the private corporation KRAV; and in Canada, by various provincial organisations.

Criticisms of Organic Farming

The environmental benefits of organic farming are a subject of some debate. Foremost in its favor, organic farming does not result in the release of chemical pesticides into the food supply or the environment, nor the leaching of artificial fertilizer. Critics claim that organic advocates ignore the fact that many synthetic pesticides are improvements on natural pesticides, with the goal of making them less dangerous to humans and more environmentally friendly. Organic advocates in turn respond that they use natural pesticides as a last resort, rather controlling pests through growing healthier, disease-resistant plants, using cover crops and crop rotation, and encouraging beneficial insects and birds. The most commonly used organic pesticides are Bt, petroleum oil, soybean oil, and pyrethrum.

In addition, proponents of conventional farming argue that organic farms are less productive, requiring more land to be used to produce the same amount of food. The research of Maeder et al (Science 296 1694-1697) which summarized a twenty-one year Swiss study into organic farming showed an average yield loss of 20%. These results have been contradicted by at least one editorial by Liebhardt (Get the facts straight: organic agriculture yields are good. OFRF Information Bulletin #10, Summer), based upon primarily unpublished data, which claims that over 154 growing seasons' worth of data on various crops, organic crops yielded 95% of crops grown under conventional conditions.

Some organic farming advocates believe that, even if yields are currently lower, these results are obtained without the huge subsidies paid to conventional farmers, and expect yields to be equivalent or higher if organic farming were subsidised to the same level.

Furthermore, some organic farming practices are claimed to do more damage than conventional practices – for instance, the practice of ploughing (see tillage) to prepare soil for planting is claimed to increase soil damage compared to using Roundup, a herbicide. Another argument against organic farming is that while it works acceptably at present because pests are kept under control in surrounding conventional farms and thus do not spread into organic farms, if it became universal the "islands" they operate on would disappear and pests would become a severe issue. (This also works in reverse, as organic farms can be islands of safety for predator insects and pollinators.) Furthermore, organic farms often use manure from livestock fed "non-organic" grain. This is a de facto movement of "chemical" fertilizer from non-organic farms to organic farms.

Some critics also point out organic food could be less safe than non-organic food : some people argue that organic food increases one's exposure to biological contaminants, with greater risk of food born diseases. In particular concerns are related to the use of manure, well known for carrying human pathogens and presence of mycotoxins from molds. In a large french study carried out by Inra, Coopagri Bretagne and ESMSA in 1999-2000, it has been shown for example that the patuline (produced by Penicillium expansum and some Aspergillus) in apples and DON in wheat had to be strongly watched for [1].

See Also

• organic gardening
• permaculture
• sustainable agriculture
• Genetically modified food
• List of organic gardening and farming topics

External Links

• Trashing organic foods
• Cyber-Help for Organic Farmers Portal and content site with a wide range of information and assistance for organic farmers