ORGANIC FARMING METHODS

Organic Farming Methods



Organic Farming Methods

Organic Farming

A Step Up From Agribusiness

One might question the merits of organic farming. Products are more expensive, harder to find and not nearly as perfect looking as chemically farmed products, but the pros far outweigh the cons when you take a look at the facts.

Which would you, or your children, rather be eating: Miracle Grow, Round Up, and other petroleum based chemicals, or nutritious vegetables untouched by chemicals? And which would you rather have in the air, the earth, and the water? I don't know about you, but a little manure makes me more comfortable than the chemicals even the government has recognized as health hazards.

I. ORGANIC REGULATIONS

The government has recently passed national requirements for organic products. The specifications of organic have become much more detailed, leaving no room for a non-organic company to profit off use of the word organic on their packaging.

In April 1995, the NOSB defined "organic" as follows:

"The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people."

II. SUSTAINABILITY

Organic farming has proven to be an asset to the environment. Because of methods such as crop rotation and less tillage, soil is protected and the nutrients are preserved. This means that instead of farming an area of land for several years and then moving on after the soil becomes unproductive, organic farms can continue to farm on the same piece of land and keep the soil healthy. Organic farms are much friendlier to the environment any way you look at it, but they are also more productive in the long run for human consumption.

III. SMALL BUSINESS ECNOMY

Aside from supporting the environment and customers, organic methods also help small business farmers that normally would be made obsolete by bigger ...