| A definition of "organic" |
An organic product is that which is
raised, grown, stored, and/or processed without the use of synthetically-
produced chemicals or fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, or any
other pesticides, growth hormones or growth regulators. Only farmers who produce
food according to a set of standards, undergo evaluation by other certified
growers, and pass a yearly inspection by a trained independent inspector can
label their products certified organic. Click
here
to view standards criteria.
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| Why is "Certified Organic"
Important? |
By choosing to purchase from
independent organic growers, the soil is grateful, the farmer is happy and the
children are safe. Everybody wins.
|
| Get better flavour |
There is a good reason why many chefs
use organic food in their recipes – IT TASTES BETTER! Organic farming
starts with the nourishment of the soil, which leads to the nourishment of the
plant and, ultimately, our palates.
|
| Protect your children |
The average child is exposed to four
times as many cancer-causing pesticides in their daily lives compared to an adult.
Organic food contains no carcinogenic pesticides.
|
| Prevent Soil Erosion |
The Soil Conservation Society
estimates that more than 3 Billion tons of topsoil are eroded from United States
farmlands each year, and soil is eroding seven times faster than it is being
built up naturally. In organic farming, soil is the foundation of the food chain
as opposed to conventional farming where soil is merely used as a porous medium
periodically saturated with unnatural chemical fertilizers and controlled with
even deadlier pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.
|
| Protect Water Quality |
Water makes up two-thirds of the
planet’s mass. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates pesticides
contaminate the groundwater in 38 states, polluting the primary aquifer. For
mor information on Water issues, please visit
World Water Watch
|
| Save Energy |
Conventional farming methods have
changed drastically in this century from small family farms to large-scale
factory style farms, dependent upon fossil fuels. Typical modern farming
uses more petroleum than any other single industry.
|
| Keep chemicals off your plate |
The FDA approved many pesticides
before research linked them to chemicals that cause cancer and other diseases.
Now the EPA considers 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides, and
30% of all insecticides to be carcinogenic. The bottom line is that
pesticides are poisons made to kill living creatures, and can also be harmful
to humans.
|
| Protect farm workers health |
A National Cancer Institute study
showed that farmers exposed to chemical herbicides had a six times greater risk
of contracting cancer than farmers who are not. The health of farm workers
in developing countries is a serious issue, as pesticide use is poorly
regulated. An estimated 1 MILLION people are poisoned annually by
pesticides, and in developing countries 25 MILLION farm workers suffer acute
pesticide poisoning every year.
|
| Help small farmers |
Most organic farms are independantly
owned and operated family farms. It is estimated that the United States
has lost more than 650,000 family farms in the past decade.
|
| Support a true economy |
Superficially, organic foods might
seem more expensive than conventional foods. Conventional food prices do
not reflect hidden costs borne by the taxpayer in the form of subsidies.
Other hidden costs include pesticide regulation and testing, hazardous waste
disposal, and environmental damage.
|
| Promote bio-diversity |
"Mono-croppping"is the
practice of planting large plots of land with the same crop year after year,
conventional farming uses this method exclusively. The lack of natural
diversity of plant life has left the soil lacking in natural nutrients and
minerals. To replace these lost nutrients which are necessary to farm,
chemical fertilizers are often used. Single crops are also much more
susceptible to pests, making farmers even more reliant on pesticides.
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| Organic farming encourages food
production that nurtures our soil through the absence of pesticides and the
presence of rich compost. The inherent commitment of organic farming to
crop rotation, living soil, companion planting, rural enterprise, pure water
and sustainable agriculture is, in itself, a critical step toward protecting
our environment and our individual health. By buying organic, you provide
a marketpalce for growers who have made the future of our planet a top priority. |
