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Organic
farming is a form of agriculture that relies on ecosystem management
and attempts to reduce or eliminate external agricultural inputs, especially
synthetic ones. It is a holistic production management system that promotes
and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological
cycles, and soil biological activity. In preference to the use of off-farm inputs, organic farming emphasizes management practices, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. Utilizing both traditional and scientific knowledge, organic agricultural systems rely on agronomic, biological, and mechanical methods (these may require external inputs of nonrenewable resources, like tractor fuel), as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfill any specific function within the system Organic farming excludes the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In many countries the use of veterinary drugs is excluded. In a number of countries, including the US, Bulgaria, Iceland, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey, Australia, India, Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Argentina, Costa Rica, Tunisia, and in the EU, organic farming is also defined by law, so that the commercial use of the term organic to describe farming and food products is regulated by the government. Where laws exist, organic certification is available to farms for a fee, and it is usually illegal for a non-certified farm to call itself or its products organic. Methods of organic farming vary. However, organic approaches share common goals and practices. In addition to the exclusion of synthetic agrichemicals, these include protection of the soil (from erosion, nutrient depletion, structural breakdown), promotion of biodiversity (e.g. growing a variety of crops rather than a single crop), and outdoor grazing for livestock and poultry. Within this framework, individual farmers develop their own organic production systems, determined by factors such as climate, market conditions, and local agricultural regulations. It is important to make the distinction between organic farming and organic food. Farming is concerned with producing fresh products—vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy, eggs—for immediate consumption, or for use as ingredients in processed food. The manufacture of most commercially processed food is well beyond the scope of farming. It is also important to note that organic farming is a reaction against the large-scale, chemical-based farming practices that have become the norm in food production over the last 80 years. The differences between organic farming and modern conventional farming account for most of the controversy and claims surrounding organic agriculture and organic food. Until recently, the comparison looked something like this: |
Organic |
Conventional |
|
Size |
Relatively
small-scale, independent operations (e.g. the family farm) |
Large-scale,
often owned by or economically tied to major food corporations |
Methods |
No
use of purchased fertilizers and other inputs; low mechanization of
the growing and harvesting process |
Intensive
chemical programs and reliance on mechanized production, using specialized
equipment and facilities |
Markets |
Often
local, direct to consumer, through on-farm stands and farmers' markets
(see also local food), and through specialty wholesalers and retailers
(eg: health food stores) |
Wholesale,
with products distributed across large areas (average supermarket produce
travels hundreds to thousands of miles) and sold through high-volume
outlets |
The
contrast is as much economic as it is between methods of production.
Until the last decade, organic farming has been typically small business,
often based in local economies, whereas conventional farming is big
business (often called agribusiness, or, negatively, corporate farming)
that is closely integrated with all aspects of the global food industry.
However, the situation is changing rapidly as consumer demand encourages
large-scale organic production. The development of modern organic farming techniques is also a function of economics. Most of the agricultural research over the last century has concentrated on chemical-based methods— little funding and effort have been put into using current scientific tools to understand and advance organic agricultural approaches. Principles of plant cultivation, in many situations identical to those of organic farming, are applied—usually, though not necessarily, at a smaller scale—in the practice of organic horticulture. We can provide our consultancy for the organic way of cultivation including certification of the farm. For further information Contact |
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