“You already know organic farming refers to a particular agricultural system that is used to produce food. Organic farmers don’t use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Instead they rely on biological diversity in the field to reduce the habitat for pest organisms. Organic farmers purposely maintain and replenish the fertility of the soil. All kinds of agricultural products are produced organically, including produce, grains, dairy eggs, fibers (such as cotton), flowers, and processed food products. Essential characteristics of organic farming includes:”
^Design and implementation of “organic system plan”.
^Detailed record keeping that tracks all products to ‘point of sale.’
^Maintenance of buffer zones to prevent inadvertent contamination by synthetic farm chemicals from adjacent conventional fields.
Organic vs. Non-organic Produce
Organic Produce: No Pesticides
*Grown with natural fertilizer (manure, compost).
*Weeds are controlled naturally (crop rotation, hand weeding, mulching, tilling).
^Insects are controlled using natural methods (birds, good insects, traps).
Conventionally Grown Produce: Pesticides Used
*Grown with synthetic or chemical fertilizers *Weeds are controlled with chemical herbicides *Insecticides are used to manage pests and disease “Thank you Sweetheart. That was a great answer. But I’ve thought of yet another question and I was hoping you, in your seemingly infinite wisdom, could answer for me.”
“I make no guarantees, but I’ll try…go ahead, ask away.” “It’s the food labels…I don’t always know what they mean?”
“Yeah, isn’t the food industry terrible…they try their best to fool us. We have to defend ourselves with accurate information, so we can understand, what is being sold. Okay, I’ll try to cover the things I know about. The Organic labels we’ve already covered, but there’s more.”