Organic farms

Organic farms grow foods without using man-made chemicals. They do not use pesticides or herbicides which can harm the environment or wildlife.

Differences from Regular Farming

Organic farmers usually use animal manure respectively organic substances rather than man-made chemical fertilizers which add extra nutrients to the soil. Organic foods are unique to the way other products are produced as chemically treated food can cause a lot of harm to the environment by decreasing the quality of soil and increasing energy use, carbon emissions, pesticides, and nitrate pollution. Also, the used chemicals can cause severe damage to human cells and long-term consumption can cause diseases like colon cancer^[1] (colorectal cancer), decrease fertility^[2] and take impact on the brain development of unborn children.^[3]

Organic farming maintains soil health the cropping system of organic farming keeps insects, pests, and weeds under check. Even farm waste is recycled in organic farming and it prevents the pollution of any component of our environment.

Forms of Organic Farming

Organic farming finds usage for animal welfare, as livestock is bred with solely organic fodder. There are animal farms that are exclusively built for organic farming and are only distributing organic meat. In the recent past, many of those regional farms are using online shops for distribution like "Das Gute Fleisch Archived 2019-01-26 at the Wayback Machine" (which means "the good meat") from Germany. Therefore a wider audience has comfortable access to organic meat whereas the demand for organic meat is rapidly growing.

Flower growers and ordinary home gardens can use organic methods too. An example of organic farming which is often used in the garden is biological control. Biological control means using natural methods to get rid of pests, instead of using poisons. For example by encouraging Ladybirds (ladybugs) into the garden as they eat aphids (greenflies).

Organic Labels

There are certain organizations per country that regulate the standards for organic farming. In the USA e.g. the USDA is distributing official "USDA Organic Labels" for products that fulfill the criteria of the organization to accept them as organic food.

Other than the US versions which differ in a "100 % organic label" and labels that state that the products are not fully organic, there is only one organic label for the EU that covers similar criteria as the "100 % label". Therefore it's harder to get organic farming certified in the EU.^[4]

There are also non-official labels by private companies that are rating products or using similar criteria to categorize organic farms. They commonly have a high reputation so customers can rely on their rating.

Benefits of Organic Cultivation

Organic Farming has many benefits. One of the main benefits of this farming is that it promotes soil health. Farmers use techniques such as crop rotation and cover cropping to build soil fertility and reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers.

Another benefit of organic cultivation is that it promotes biodiversity. Farmers use a variety of crops and livestock breeds, and they often include wildflowers and other plants in their fields to provide habitats for beneficial insects and other wildlife. They also avoid the use of synthetic pesticides, which can harm beneficial insects and other wildlife, and instead rely on natural pest control methods.

They also avoid the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, which can contribute to water pollution and climate change. They also make use of renewable resources, such as solar power and wind energy.

Organic products are also more nutritious than conventionally grown products. Chemical-free foods are often more flavorful than conventionally grown foods because they are grown with the aim of conserving the soil and improving the health of the soil.

This leads to the plants absorbing more nutrients, leading to more nutritious foods.^[5]

Organic Farms Media

Organic farming in Virginia, USA.
Organic cultivation of mixed vegetables in Capay, California
Placard advocating organic food rather than global warming
Chloroxylon is used for pest management in organic rice cultivation in Chhattisgarh, India.
For livestock, like these healthy cows, vaccines play an important part in animal health since antibiotic therapy is prohibited in organic farming.
Organic farmland by world region (2000–2008)
Comparison of the environmental impact of organic versus conventional agriculture. A value of 1.0 means the impact of both systems are the same; values greater than 1.0 mean the impacts of organic systems are higher (worse). On most parameters organic farming scores worse than conventional farming.
A sign outside of an organic apple orchard in Pateros, Washington, reminding orchardists not to spray pesticides on these trees