In its most basic form, organic agriculture is simply farming without synthetic chemicals. Excluding the last few decades since the industrial revolution, all agriculture on the planet has been practiced this way. The modern organic food movement began amidst this movement towards mechanization and synthetic input in agriculture, with the first major public outcry occurring in the 1960’s, after Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring documented the decline in wildlife diversity and increasing threats to human health.
According to the National Organic Standards Board, organic agriculture is an ecological production system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony. “Organic” is a labeling term that denote products produced under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.
In 2002, the USDA implemented a set of standards to which all entities claiming to be organic must adhere. These include abstinence from the application of prohibited materials (synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and sewage sludge) for 3 years prior to harvest; no use of genetically modified organisms and irradiation; employment of positive soil building, conservation, manure management and crop rotation practices; provision of outdoor access and pasture for livestock; no use of antibiotics or hormones in animals; use of 100% organic feed; no cross contamination of organic and conventional products during processing; and recordkeeping of all operations.
Breaking It Down: Why Buy Organic?
Your Personal Health
Organic agriculture protects the health of people and the planet by reducing the overall exposure to toxic chemical from synthetic pesticides that can end up in the ground, air, water and food supply, and that are associated with health consequences, from asthma to cancer. Because organic agriculture doesn’t use toxic and persistent pesticides, choosing organic products is an easy way to help protect you.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides and 30% of all insecticides carcinogenic. In addition to cancer, pesticides are implicated in birth defects, nerve damage and genetic mutations.
Additionally, organic food is higher in nutrients than conventionally grown food; it is more flavorful and free of additives and preservatives.
The Health and Safety of Your Children
Organic agriculture minimizes children’s exposure to toxic and persistent pesticides in the soil in which they play, the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the foods they eat. Pesticides pose special threats to children because of their high metabolisms and low body weights. More than 1 million children between the ages of 1 and 5 ingest at least 15 pesticides every day from fruits and vegetables. More than 600,000 of these children eat a dose of organophosphate insecticides that the federal government considers unsafe, and 61,000 eat doses that exceed benchmark levels by a factor of 10 or more.
The Health of the Environment
Organic agriculture builds healthy soils, reduces toxic runoff and water contamination, protects species biodiversity, restricts the use of genetically modified organisms and conserves energy.
Healthy soils are the foundation for healthy crops and a livelihood for good stewards of the land. Growing food in healthy soils results in crops that are higher in healthy nutrients than conventionally grown crops. Soils managed to support healthy plants, rather than as a medium for material transfer, have been found to absorb more water, have higher levels of microbial activity, and show a significant ability to absorb and retain carbon, thus possibly playing a major role in reducing the impact of global warming.
The EPA estimates that pesticides contaminate the groundwater in at least 38 states, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half the country’s population. Organic farming can help reduce ground and surface water contamination, and can safeguard drinking water supplies in certain areas.
Organic practices help safeguard the environment and protect habitats, thus conserving and promoting species diversity. Studies show that organic farms have many times more beneficial species of wildlife, insects and microorganism than conventional farms; and have reduced numbers of crop harming pests.
The long-term effects of GM (genetically modified) crops are not yet known, though most likely damaging to the diversity of plant species and possibly humans. GM seeds are manmade by moving DNA from one species to another. Large biotechnology companies are the ones who benefit from the production of GE crops, and have a vested interest in selling their products to the world. They are taking steps to make farmers more dependent on their seeds and chemicals. Terminator technology renders crops sterile after one growing season. Traitor technology makes crops "commit suicide" unless the farmer sprays a particular chemical on them.
Organic agriculture is based on labor intensive, low-input practices, thus decreasing reliance on external energy systems. These include cover crops, hand weeding, composting, crop rotation and diversification. Modern conventional agriculture uses more petroleum than any other single industry in the
United States
(more than 12% of our supply).
The Health of Your Community
Supporting organic agriculture supports your community by being part of the solution for farmworker health, small farm solvency, and bringing the real cost of food production out in the open.
An estimated 1 million people are poisoned annually by pesticides. Farmers exposed to herbicides have six times more risk than non-farmers of contracting cancer.
Most organic farms are small. In a recent 10 year period, more than 650,000 small/family farms in the
United States
were lost. With growing consumer support of the organic industry, you can help keep
America
’s small farms alive.
In organic agriculture, there are no hidden costs. The price may seem higher than that of conventionally produced food, but taxpayers aren’t paying to clean up their water supply, regulate and test pesticides, hazardous waste disposal and cleanup, or for subsidies to the government for commodity crops.
The Bottom Line
When you buy organic, you show that you care about quality – the quality of your life and the quality of life on our planet. When you eat certified organic, fresh, local produce you will notice the difference!
