Organic Agriculture

Organic farming is defined as producing crops without the use of synthetic chemicals in insecticides, herbicides, or fertilizer; instead, farmers rely on their knowledge of their land and soil conditions to devise their ecological farming techniques. They use many types of natural and alternative methods, such as planting two or more companion crops together so that they protect each other from pests, using green manure (which is a crop that is tilled into the soil to provide natural compost), and breaking the chain of pests by rotating crops (growing different crops in succession on the same plot of land). In addition, crops themselves tend to be more varied and diverse, so that the farmer need not depend on the success of one single monocultured crop. Instead of growing just corn or perhaps corn and soybeans, an organic farmer may grow corn, soybeans, wheat, buckwheat, alfalfa, other vegetables, and fruits for example. In the past two to three decades, the demand for organic food has grown immensely, especially in Europe and North America.

Certified organic farming in the United States is regulated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which established National Organic Standards that became effective in 2002. A quick reference point to remember is being chemical-free for 3 yrs. (years). A farm may not use prohibited synthetic substances for 3 yrs. prior to certification. The USDA National Organic Standards Program accredits numerous agencies across the country that act to administer the certifications in different states. This involves on-farm inspections, careful details of farm history, written proof of procedures and methods, and detailed notes about each crop. The farmers must pay for annual certification. The certification allows farmers to sell their products more widely at the national or even international level.

Since the mid 1980s, the U.S. organic food market has increased 20% annually. This is the fastest-growing sector of food consumption. Most people remember when few organic items were available in mass-market superstores, but that has certainly changed. The year 2000 marked the first year when more organic foods were sold in mainstream supermarkets than in any other venue. In fact, nearly 80% of conventional grocery stores now carry organic food items. Organic food sales are led by fresh produce, nondairy beverages, breads and grains, packaged foods, and dairy products. Organic dairy items increased by 500% in the 1990s, as a result of consumers seeking to avoid recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), a genetically engineered hormone injected to increase milk production in conventional dairy cows. Since milk is not labeled in most countries, there may be no way to avoid rBGH unless one buys organic milk, in which its use is prohibited. Consumer demand for all organic products is likely linked to consumer concerns about pesticide residues and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food. Indeed, several studies show significantly lower pesticide residues in organic compared with conventional food. Parental concern about food safety often [Page 2095]motivates parents to buy organic food for their children. Recent studies show that children who eat organic food have significantly lower levels of pesticides in their urine. The Environmental Working Group Web site used 43,000 samples to develop a list of the produce with typically higher and lower chemical residues.

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