Organic farming is a form of agriculture that is based on ecological management which excludes the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and antibiotics applied on plants and animals. It promotes and focuses on agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity while minimizing the risk to human and animal health and natural resources. It has been proven as an effective approach with the United Nations (UN) in their report on world hunger and poverty.

People during the World War II had experienced food shortages. After the war, the farmers were encouraged to use chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides as everyone wanted affordable and plenty of food. Meat was affected as well when the animals were administered with growth hormones and antibiotics. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides had caused severe water and environmental pollution. Over the years, the consumers have become more concerned about its disadvantage and started to support organic farming.

How organic farming is done

In organic farming, farmers naturally nourish soil with the use of quality compost, cover crops. Plants that grow on healthy soil are much better and can actually protect themselves from pests and disease without the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Organic farming also helps in protecting the global environment as they can significantly reduce the amount of factors that contribute to global warming such as carbon dioxide.

Animals are organically raised are fed with certified organic feeds, hormone-free and GMO-free. Organic farmers prevent disease on livestock by ensuring that they have are healthy, fed right, and have given comfortable shelters. One of the outcomes is some certified organic milk cows have a life expectancy 3 or 4 times the life expectancy of their conventional counterparts.

Organic foods

It is however that many in the industry are not convinced that organic foods are more nutritious than the conventionally grown food as there are no conclusive evidences shown.  Even though USDA certifies organic food, it does not claim that these are safer and more nutritious.

Some people prefer to choose organic food to avoid their exposure to the pesticide residues from conventional farming. But since organic foods tend to have more farming practices, they are more expensive than conventional foods.

Organic farming is very much debated topic and its environmental benefits will continue to be studied which in turn will find a better understanding on how it will cure or help in reducing the effects of environmental hazards brought by the modern agricultural practices.

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The US-based Monsanto started in 1901 with the production of the artificial sweetener saccharine. By the 1940s, it had expanded its business to Europe and had become one of the leading chemical manufacturing companies in the United States.  Among its herbicide products, the dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) became particularly infamous for its disastrous health risks and environmental damage, and was banned in 1972 in the US, owing to the efforts by environmentalists.

In early 1980s, Monsanto started genetic experimenting on plant cells. This was a big leap for the company, away from chemical production to biotechnical engineering, and by the end of the century Monsanto had become the biotech giant of the world, specializing in genetically modified seeds. Genetically modified (GM) foods, mostly crops, have the advantages of high tolerance of herbicides, resistance to pests, diseases, drought, and low temperature, and added nutrition. At the same time, such crops have been subject to strong criticism. A number of human health risks, including different types of allergic reactions, have been known as caused by GM foods. And equally, or even more, serious are the concerns of genetic invasions caused by GM species.

Studies show that GM plants are capable of interbreeding with non-GM plants of the same species, which are planted near them. Thus, the biotechnologically altered genes travel through crops and multiply in numbers as well as complexity, posing unforeseen threats to public health. Furthermore, the altered genes can be incorporated into the genetic makeup of the weeds growing around them, causing the weeds to become herbicide resistant. This would mean a threat to environment and crops, as well as additional cost to economy due to the need for researching new, stronger varieties of herbicides.

With an expanding business going hand in hand with the genetic contamination of crops, Monsanto also continued to have an increasing experience of litigation against the farming community. Crop farmers in US and Canada have been sued by Monsanto for reproducing GM seeds/crops without paying the due royalty to the company. By 2005, at least 90 lawsuits had been by Monsanto against American farmers alone. A famous case highlighted by the Greenpeace International was that of a Canadian farmer Percy Shmeiser who lost his case in 2004 to Monsanto for failing to pay the company while accidentally discovering herbicide-resistant canola on his farm and reproducing it without the prior permission of Monsanto. Greenpeace called the GM invasion of common crops ‘genetic pollution’. Does a company have the right to genetically contaminate common crops of farms and then claim patent rights when the uninvited GM seeds on one’s own farm are reproduced?

This question, with added environmental concern, has already entered the law court and the verdict of the court will certainly be the determinant of the future of farming and feeding in and outside America. What is unambiguously clear so far is the fact that if you try to transcend nature, it will cost more than it pays; though for companies like Monsanto, the profit may surpass both the investment and the cost of litigation.

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Organic farming is a form of agricultural method wherein farm communities relies on crop rotation, green manure, compost fertilizer, biological methods of pest control and cultivation of fertile soil to make it more productive thus yielding better produce. It also strictly limits the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, chemical-based plant grower, feed additives and GMO. Organic farming is closely based on the standards set by IFOAM or International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement and it is also regulated and enforced by most nations worldwide.

This core value is very similar to what sustainable living is all about. That same basic principle applies to all organic farm communities and it affects everyone that is working together for this common goal of lessening the human impact to the environment. By following organic farming methods, our soil is protected from erosion and it strongly promotes biodiversity among plant, animal and smaller organisms as well.

Some farmers would not adapt this kind of farming methods since organic farming is known to have lower yields. But since the population is getting more and more conscious of food safety due to health risks that some chemically contaminated produce can cause them, the demand is much stronger and people are willing to pay higher prices of organic ones. Because of this, along with the decreased cost of production since no synthetic fertilizers are used, it creates higher profit for organic farmers. This also called the attention of some farmers to join and manage their own organic farmlands.

Sustainable living is a lifestyle in which a person reduces his or her impact to the environment by limiting their usage of the Earth’s natural resources and avoids further damaging it. Sustainable agriculture works the same and provides better organic food which is not only good for human consumption but also great for maintaining balanced ecosystem.

Janice Hunter Creative Director for 11 Lions Media Group is raising awareness and spreading knowledge through creative content projects throughout the web. Learn more about organic farming visit 11Lions.com to reach higher levels of consciousness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Hunter
http://EzineArticles.com/?Organic-Farming—The-Sustainable-Way-to-Farm-and-Eat&id=2006856

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Although it’s to be expected, the slow phase organic fertilizer is currently experiencing is partly due to the fact that farmers are quite confused on what organic fertilizers are and how it can work on their farms. It seems that there is no existing group or organization that helps spreading the word to farmers while commercial fertilizers come complete with instructions and even extend support to small farm communities. According to surveys, almost a hundred percent of gardening hobbyists already made the switch and have been enjoying the benefits of organic fertilizers ever since. It’s because they can afford to wait, spend a little more money and most of all, can try again next time if this season’s batch won’t come out great while farmers don’t have this kind of luxury and unfortunately, they are not informed how to do it properly.

Basically, anything that comes from nature and encourages bacterial growth is considered as an organic fertilizer. Some examples of which are manure, fish emulsions, blood meal, bone meal and even sewer sludge. Organic fertilizers take time to generate results but if one can afford the wait, it will all be worth it.

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Scientists at UC Berkley have discovered a link between sex changed frogs and the herbicide Atrazine.  Atrazine is one of the most commonly used pesticide to kill weeds in crops like corn and soybeans.  In a laboratory experiment, frogs exposed to as little as .1 parts per billion, or thirty times the current allowed limit for the herbicide, still developed eggs in their testes.  The study strongly suggests a strong co-relation between the demasculinization of the species and the decline in frog population throughout the US.  Other studies also show that Atrazine has weakened the immune system of Tiger salamanders, an amphibian common in the US.

There have been studies conducted to understand the effects of Atrazine on human beings.  Couples who live near farms where Atrazine is used have higher rates of pre-term deliveries.  Children born near contaminated areas have low birth weight.   But because those primarily exposed to the chemicals were men, it is hard to pinpoint whether Atrazine is the only culprit since there are also other herbicides used in farming.  And although there is little information on how Atrazine affects humans it is never too late to be on the safe side.

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