What is Organic Farming - and why should you care?

What is organic?

Organic food was once limited to health food stores, but thanks to an increase in popularity it is now available in most grocery aisles. But what is organic produce? What's the difference between organic and non-organic farming? And why should you care about the difference?

On November 15th, the global population surpassed a staggering 8 billion. This is an enormous figure, and is quadruple the population a century ago which was a small 2 billion. By 2050, the global population is expected to reach 9 billion. What are the implications of this? It means farmers must feed 8 billion mouths now, and face the daunting task of feeding an additional billion in just over two decades time.

The problem is that meeting the current demand is already challenging, let alone an increase of another billion. As a result, farming methods which may be considered ‘artificial’ have emergered. The use of artificial fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, and genetically modified crops have all emerged as means of increasing crop yields to accommodate for the increase in demand for produce. Some of these practices have faced scrutiny due to potential health risks and causing damage to the environment.

Naturally, you wouldn’t willingly put your health at risk. However, organic farming offers an alternative set of farming practices. Organic farming produces crops that are free from chemicals or artificial agents, with a focus on natural solutions as opposed to artificial. “Organic” refers to the way farmers grow and process their crops and products, including things like fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat.

So what does organic farming involve?

Well, organic farming focuses on natural methods to produce crops and livestock. This means certain practices are prohibited, such as:

• The use of artificial or synthetic fertilizers.

• Application of sewage sludge as fertilizer.

• Utilization of synthetic pesticides to eliminate insects (with a small amount of exceptions).

• Using radiation to control pests or preserve food.

• Planting genetically modified crops or genetic engineering of crops.

• Administering excessive antibiotics and external growth hormones in livestock.

Instead, organic farmers adopt natural, chemical-free alternative techniques, such as:

• Utilizing compost and plant waste to improve soil quality and nutrient content.

• Employing crop rotation to maintain soil quality and break pest cycles by changing the crop type grown on a given patch of land.

• Using cover crops to prevent soil erosion and preserve soil quality by planting vegetation in areas that would typically remain bare during that given season.

• Applying mulch to control weeds.

• Introducing natural predators of pests or using insect traps as means of pest control.

• Utilizing specific natural pesticides or ‘biopesticides’ and selected approved pesticides permitted for organic farming only as a last resort.

• Providing livestock access to fields and pastures, ensuring pasture feeding makes up at least 30% of the livestock's nutritional needs during the grazing season.

• Creating healthier living conditions and providing access to the outdoors and fields for livestock.

• Providing organic feed for livestock .

Now that we understand what organic farming is, let's delve into its benefits.

Why make the effort to farm organically?

Here’s a brief summary of the benefits organic farming brings:

• Improved soil and water quality.

• Reduced environmental impact, including lower pollution levels.

• Safer, happier, and healthier livestock.

• Promotion of natural farm animal behavior.

• Supports better sustainability and natural biodiversity.

• Potential for a self-sustaining cycle of resources on a farm.

So how can you identify organic products?

The US Department of Agriculture has an organic certification program that requires all organic food to meet specific guidance standards controlling how the food has been grown, handled and processed. There are different types of organic products, which are categorized as follows:

• 100% organic: Applies to single ingredient produce, such as fruits, vegetables, eggs and meat. This can also be applied to multi-ingredient foods if all of the ingredients are certified organic.

• Organic: This applies to multi-ingredient foods which have 95% of the ingredients being organic, while non-organic ingredients must be on the USDA-approved additional ingredients list.

• Made with organic: Refers to multi-ingredient products containing at least 70% certified organic ingredients. These products do not carry the official organic seal, and they must list which ingredients are organic.

• Organic ingredients: These products cannot be labeled as organic or carry the organic seal but they may contain ingredients which are organic, typically indicated in the ingredients list.

Beware of confusing "organic" with "natural" on product labels. Natural and organic are similar in values but do not mean the same thing. While natural signifies the absence of artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors, it does not mean the product or ingredients adhere to organic farming methods. Non-organic products can still be labeled as natural, as the “natural” label refers to products free from non-natural ingredients, while the “organic” label refers to products free from non-natural farming practices.

You should also be aware of labels which are similar to organic. Products can have labels such as “pasture raised”, “free range”, or “hormone free”. While these labels offer positive attributes, it is likely that they do not meet complete organic standards, otherwise they would be labeled as such.

In conclusion, organic farming offers a viable and beneficial approach to agriculture. There are many potential issues surrounding the use of artificial farming techniques, and organic provides a healthier alternative.

Are you interested in organic?

By understanding the impact and benefits of organic, you are able to make informed decisions when selecting your produce. If you would like to make a positive impact on your health and the environment through going organic, then we offer the perfect place to start. Visit our website and shop at our very own digital farmers market, where you can purchase certified organic produce and take the steps to a healthier, greener future!

Best regards,

OrganicaFarmingCo

(This is a fictional company and is in no way associated with this blog. This blog has been created as a demonstration piece)