Organic farming is a type of agriculture that depends on green manure, crop rotation, compost, mechanical cultivation, biological pest control and other means to keep the productivity of the soil and control pests. These cover excluding the use of synthetic fertilizers and livestock feed additives, plant growth regulators, genetically modified organisms and synthetic pesticides.

From 1990, certified organic products have become very popular in such a short time, that in 2007, the market has grown to $46 billion. Organically grown farmland has been in demand since then. At present, there are about 32.2 million hectares of organically grown farms all over the globe. The total amounts to only about 0.8% of farmland worldwide. Organic wild products are also gathered on about 30 million hectares.

On Organic Agriculture

Organic farming includes organic agricultural methods that are regulated internationally and legitimately enforced by several nations, based largely in part on the IFOAM standards. IFOAM stands for International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. It is an international umbrella agency that started in 1972, focusing primarily on organic groups. IFOAM has a goal in organic farming.

Organic agriculture is defined as a production system that maintains healthy soils, people and the entire ecosystem. It only depends on ecological means, cycles and biodiversity adapted to local conditions, compared to the use of conventional inputs with several bad effects. Organic farms mix innovation, tradition and science, which in turn, will be advantageous to the shared environment, thereby encouraging equal relationships and an ideal quality of life for all people involved.

The Techniques

Soil management is very important if you want to get certified organic food. Plants will need potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous, together with micronutrients to grow properly. Crop rotation and green manure or cover crops will support the plants by providing enough nitrogen. The residues of the crop can be brought back into the soil, so different plants leave off various amounts of nitrogen. Processed fertilizers are still applied like mineral powders and seed meal.

Weed control should also be done as well as pest control since different fungi and bacteria can trigger disease. Insect pests can hinder the growth of organic farms. Standards are always followed to maintain optimum production in all certified organic foods. The agencies that certify do not usually certify individual farms, but instead accredit certification groups to ensure consumers that their source of organic foods meet the set standards every time.

The Industry

As far as the industry is concerned, organic farms support about 2% of the total food supply in the United States. Sales of certified organic products have grown significantly by around 20% each year. It is the fastest growing portion of agriculture. Several chefs, restaurants and establishments all over the country are now using organic produce due to the quality and flavor. Other countries are also quickly embracing the idea such as Germany and Japan, with their own organic markets growing steadily over the past few years.

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Organic generally means being grown and handled without the use of extra preservatives and harmful chemicals. You have to understand why organic foods are an integral part of the diet. These are grown with zero or very little hormonal and chemical additives during the growing cycle, compared to other conventional products or meat. The principles and laws on labeling organic materials in several places strictly prohibit the application of different herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, antibiotics and hormone treatments. After then will they be given an organic certification.

The Dozen Organic Health Foods

There are 12 known foods counted as the ones most vulnerable to the addition of several growth hormones, pesticides and antibiotics. The list includes foods that do not generally lower in quality in terms of hormonal and chemical residues because of cooking and home washing practices. Included in the list are strawberries, cherries and raspberries, tomatoes, apples and pears, dairy products, like milk, butter and cheese, meat products, like pork, beef and chicken, celery, potatoes, coffee, grapes, red and green peppers, spinach and salad greens, and stone fruits, like apricots, nectarines and peaches.

Saving Money

Try to look for seasonal foods to save more money. In some months, some produce tend to have a lot of surplus so these are sold a whole lot cheaper than the usual — organic food items tend to spoil or perish faster compared to conventional products. Seasonal food items also tend to travel a shorter distance as they are grown locally and will last longer — and, in a better condition, are actually packed with more nutrients. You may realize that eating organic health food by the season somehow mimics the way people in the past consumed meals based on the availability of the goods.

Being Different and Realistic

Eating in variety means including all the organic health foods. You should learn how to eat food you used to dislike — because most likely these are full of nutrients, fiber and antioxidants. You can purchase the primary foods listed in the top dozen, then follow up with conventional food products, depending on your preference and budget. You also get to help organic farmers and growers in different areas. As a whole, the environment can benefit from the improvement of the soil and reduction of pesticide and toxic application.

Organic health food is produced through organic agriculture, which is approved by different health agencies all over the globe. As more groups opt for organic food items, you can benefit by being assured that the food you eat are free from toxic substances, higher in nutrients, and free from unnecessary additives — without compromising taste.

Going organic is the exact opposite of genetically engineered crops. You then act as an advocate of all natural and healthy farming practices, which, in turn, will benefit the generations to come. It is important that you stay aware about the innovations and practices to continue healthy living.

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Natural foods meet the strict standards provided by local and national health agencies and food manufacturers. By getting an organic certification, people can be assured that the products are properly grown and treated according to quality guidelines. This means the goods are without any intervention by harmful chemicals. The taste of natural food has also improved significantly over the years, what with soil content balancing getting more attention from researchers and food growers, ensuring not only healthy but also palatable produce.

Why Go Organic?

One of the most basic reasons why people choose natural foods is because it greatly reduces the risk of different health problems and complications. Some pesticides approved by the EPA were registered a long time before thorough research connected the chemicals with problems, like cancer and heart ailments. Organic agriculture has been a powerful ally in the fight against dangerous chemicals in fruits and vegetables.

Going organic is not just about the direct introduction of chemicals. Organic farms also keep water reservoirs safe and clean through the elimination of nitrogen leaching and polluting chemicals. These are achieved together with soil building. And because the foundation of a healthy food chain is good soil, the main goal of organic farming is to apply techniques that lead to the building of healthy and safe soil.

About Organic Farmers

It is useful to know that organic agriculture puts emphasis in maintaining the balance to create a healthy ecosystem. Wildlife is promoted through the inclusion of forage crops in rotation — keeping fence rows, natural areas and wetlands. By promoting organic farming and advocating natural foods, you help farmers preserve seeds and other unusual varieties and help them increase production.

Rural communities also stay healthy because of organic farming. Small farms can be helped a lot by organic agriculture because the alternative market created, where sellers can put on good prices for the products, allows them to augment their livelihood. The more income that organic farmers get from the high demand for natural foods, the greater the potential of building better soil and healthier farms.

More Health Benefits

The push toward natural foods also take away drug and chemical reliance. There are problems surfacing from the high use of antibiotics among farm animals and their potential adverse effects on human beings. In addition, going organic means there are zero hidden costs. This means you do not have to shell out extra for chemical additives and other related processes to prepare the food you buy.

Choosing all natural foods is truly beneficial because you do not have to deal with the risk brought by harmful preservatives and additives. Some of the additives banned by the Soil Association include aspartame, hydrogenated fat, and monosodium glutamate. Now after all these, if you’re still wondering, ‘Why go organic?’ let’s sum it up — you will find that you can extend your life by several more years and even decades if you take the junk out of the food you eat.

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