US Green Living .com
Organic farming is a type of agriculture that relies on more natural, environmentally friendly methods of farming and avoids many practices associated with industrial farming such as the use of synthetic fertilizers with crops and growth hormones in livestock. The goal of organic farming is to reduce the negative impact of farming on the environment and also to provide consumers with healthier food products.
Organic farming has a few drawbacks in comparison to industrial farming, but it has been proven to be more sustainable in the long run. Environmental issues and growing consumer awareness concerning food contaminants has increased the popularity of organic farming over the past decade and led to an economic boom for this type of agriculture.
Organic farming has become popular due to the negative aspects of conventional industrial agricultural, particularly the manmade chemicals employed in the process. Pesticides used to kill insects that feed on crops can cause much damage to the environment if used inappropriately. Excessive pesticides remain in the soil after sprayings and are washed away by rain that forces them to be absorbed into groundwater. The same problem exists with the use of fertilizers. Excrements produced by cattle and other barnyard animals also cause pollution. Fires, which are not uncommon on farms, can be very detrimental to the environment if fertilizer or waste products are being burnt. The problem of agricultural pollution is not simply felt in regions in farming regions. Contaminates in rivers can be carried all the way to the ocean and polluted air can be blown to other areas with denser populations.
Pesticides and fertilizers used in industrial agriculture also pose a health risk. The chemicals that make up these farming agents often make their way into groundwater and eventually end up in water sources that are used for drinking. Blue baby syndrome, a disease that causes death in infants, is often caused by contaminated water. Pesticides released into the air and emissions from farm equipment cause difficulty breathing and a host of respiratory problems. Pesticide residue can often be found on produce sold in grocery stores. High exposure to residue from farming chemicals has the potential to cause neurological damage to children as well as a host of other health problems for adults.
In order to avoid these environmental and health risks, organic farming employs more natural and in turn less harmful, agricultural methods. More environmentally friendly fertilizers like green manure and the use of composting and mulch minimize organic farming’s impact on ecosystems and are less detrimental to soil. Pest control is handled much more carefully than in industrial agriculture with little or no pesticide and instead using methods like crop rotation and physical barriers such as nets and setting traps.
One important drawback to organic farming is that usually more manual labor is required, which in turn raises costs for consumers. However, given the added health benefits that come with eating organic foods outweighs the cost factor for many consumers. Organic foods, especially fruits and vegetables, are also considered to be of higher quality in terms of taste.
