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Organic Farming Facts

Organic Farming Facts
Organic farming is a method of growing food that relies on organic fertilization and growing techniques that are believed to produce healthier food for consumers, without the use of chemical pesticides. Prior to the mid-1800s artificial fertilizers were not used to grow food. Once introduced these cheap fertilizers made it easier to produce large crops, and when combined with chemical pesticides, it was possible to have less waste and higher yields. As concerns about toxins in the environment and in our food continues to grow, more people are returning to organic farming to protect their health. Chemicals used to grow non-organic food have been proven to have serious side effects in humans, resulting in diseases such as cancer.
Interesting Organic Farming Facts:
To be considered organic a food must be grown without synthetic fertilizer or pesticide.
To be considered organic, food cannot be irradiated, or processed with chemical food additives or industrial solvents.
The movement toward organic food began in 1940 when the Green Revolution began to take hold - which involved the use of pesticides and other methods to increase food production.
Efforts to reduce the shift to organic food include claims that organic food is not healthier or that it does not taste better. Food grown without chemicals and carcinogens may not be proven to result in increased health as of yet but this is due to lack of studies. Common sense sways those that believe in the value of organic food.
A person that sells food labeled as organic when it is not actually organic can be fines large sums of money.
Organic food can still be grown with pesticides provided the pesticide is not synthetic.
A food can be organic and not be healthy. If cookies such as Oreos are made with organic ingredients it would still not be considered healthy.
Some foods are more prone to having higher levels of pesticides when grown conventionally, such as strawberries or spinach.
Some foods do not retain a lot of pesticides even when grown conventionally, such as pineapples, watermelon, and grapefruit.
Organic food is often more expensive than conventionally grown food. Those wishing to reduce exposure to dangerous chemicals can choose which foods to buy organic and which are less harmful.
Children who eat organic diets have been shown to have much less pesticides in their urine than children who consume a conventional diet.
Organic farming is more sustainable and better for the environment.
Organic farming methods do not pollute the waterways and soil like conventional farming methods are known to do.
There are main principles of organic farming which include: health, ecology, fairness, and care. These principles apply to the environment in which the food is grown and those that consume the food.
Methods common to organic farming include crop rotation, organic nutrient management, growing cover crops, the use of natural predators, weeding, crop spacing, recycling materials, and using renewable resources.
In some cases organic farming can produce higher yields than conventional farming.
In essence, organic farming's goal is to protect the health of living organisms, including humans, and those in the environment.


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