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Farm
What is Organic Farming?
by Jeremy Pickles
Organic farming is the production of food using all natural
methods - avoiding all synthetic chemicals and genetically modified organisms.
Its' core philosophy is that of sustainability or 'zero impact'. The organic
farmer seeks to leave the earth in its' natural state after the harvest.
The focus of organic methods is on soil quality. Crops are grown without
artificial fertilizers and pesticides, and livestock is reared free of drugs and
hormones. Proponents of organic food believe it produces food with higher
quality and nutritional value than conventional chemical-based methods.
Many countries including the US and the EU have certification programs to
control the use of the term "Organic". This benefits the consumer by ensuring
best practice has been followed. This varies from region to region but includes
things like the minimum length of time a field can be left free of chemicals
before it is allowed to be used for organic farming.
There are many different styles of organic food production but they all adhere
to the same principles:
* no artificial fertilizers or drugs
* no genetically modified organisms
* prevention of soil depletion
* 'bio diversity' - the growing of a range of crops not just a single species.
One recent researcher found that vegetables in the 1950s contained more than
eight times as many trace elements as modern crops, which he attributed to the
excessive use of nitrate fertilizers. You can read all the latest research at
http://www.ge-free.com/
Organic farming has come about as a consumer reaction against the chemical based
methods that have been used so widely in 20th century food production. Really
though it is simply a formalized definition of traditional agriculture as it has
been practiced for thousands of years before 20th century chemicals were
invented.
So far, organic farming has been limited to small businesses growing for local
markets. Organic farming methods are very expensive compared to their chemical
counterparts, and the production yields are low when compared to 'conventional'
farming.
Consumers of course are willing to pay a premium for the improved flavor and
nutrition value of organic produce but it remains a premium market. This will
change as more large scale organic producers enter production.
Most countries now have 'all organic' type food stores in the larger cities. So
long as there are people who enjoy healthy living and an alternative to the
chemical ridden norm, these businesses will continue to flourish.
Jeremy is the owner of
www.ge-free.com/ and publisher of Organic News. His site reports on all the
latest news and research articles to do with Organic Food.
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