You're At The Right Place If You Have Questions About:

• What types of food or products are organic
• What organic means
• Where our food originates
• What is in the food we eat
• The things that are put into our food and clothes
• The Enviromental impact of our food and clothing choices
• How The Animals Are Affected
• Our Health
• Which Organic Foods Are The Most Important To Buy
• Where To Buy Organic Foods And Organic Products

Organic Terms and Definintions

Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on ecosystem management and attempts to reduce or eliminate external agricultural inputs, especially synthetic ones. It is a holistic production management system that promotes and enhances agro-ecosytem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.

Organic certification is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products. In general, any business directly involved in food production can be certified, including seed suppliers, farmers, food processors, retailers and restaurants. Requirements vary from country to country, and generally involve a set of production standards for growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping that include avoidance of synthetic chemical inputs (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, etc) and genetically modified organisms;

• use of farmland that has been free from chemicals for a number of years (often, three);
• keeping detailed written production and sales records (audit trail);
• maintaining strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products;
• undergoing periodic on-site inspections.

Certified organic producers are also subject to the same agricultural, food safety and other government regulations that apply to non-certified producers.

• Organic food, produced through organic methods, including fruit, vegetables, and meat. Produced without the use of artificial pesticides, herbicides, and in many definitions genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
• Organic gardening, a form of gardening that uses substantial diversity in pest control to reduce the use of pesticides.
• Organic movement, refers to the organizations and individuals involved worldwide in the promotion of sustainable agriculture and organic farming.
• Organic products, one which is certified organic.

Why Organic Products?

Are you concerned that the food you are eating may be harmful to you and your family? You are not alone with your concern about which products contain what illness causing toxin this week. With news reports about GM (genetically modified) foods and their yet unkown health consequences, health scares about eating beef (mad cow disease), chemicals on crops affecting people’s health and childrens intelligence, it’s no wonder that many are looking to organic foods, organic medicine and organic clothing as a viable option.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ORGANIC FOODS?

One of the common benefits proclaimed about organic foods is that they taste better - but there are many other benefits to incorporating organic foods into your diet. Besides the physical benefits to you there are environmental benefits and benefits to the animals and to the people who live and work on the farms.

WHAT IS ORGANIC FARMING?

Organic farming produces plant and animal foods without the excessive use of chemicals. It focuses on using fertile soil along with a variety of crops to maintain healthy growing conditions which produce a food with more nutrients and less chemicals than typical commercial foods. Organic farming prohibits the growing of GM foods, a controversial issue among commercial growers.

Organic food also protects the planet. Organic farming ensures that bio-diversity remains available in the foods we eat and the wildlife that live on the farms. Fruits and vegetables are naturally available in 100’s of varieties. Commercial growing limits the variety of each food available by mass producing only a handful. Many species of birds, insects and other animals are affected by the chemicals and farming conditions used in growing commercial foods.

Organic farms grow a mix of crops and promote a balanced ecosystem including insects that protect crops from pests and worms and other micro-organisms which fertilize the soil.

Foods That Are Important To Buy Organic

Typically people aren’t sure if all of the food they need to buy should be of an organic nature or not. If all of the food that you purchased was strictly organic the cost at the checkout line would be quite substantial. Luckily, you need not make all of your food purchases of the organic nature. One good rule of thumb to follow is to buy organic fruits and vegetables that have a soft outer skin. With all of the differant types of chemicals and pesticides used in farming today most are easily absorbed through fruits and vegetable that have softer outer skin. An example of softer fruits would be strawberries, peaches, raspberries, blueberries etc..

HEALTH BENEFITS

Organic foods prevent people from ingesting regular amounts of pesticides and insecticides commonly found in commercial products. Animals are not routinely given antibiotics and other medication which enters the food supply to humans. Some research suggests that this excessive use of chemicals in food can be linked to increased health problems and interferes with the healthy development of children.

Scientists have found that, compared to rats that were fed conventional diets, the organically fed rats experienced several health benefits. What researchers found is that the rats that ate organic or minimally fertilized diets had the following:

• Improved immune system status compared to rats that were fed conventional type of diets.
• Better sleep habits.
• Lower weight and they were slimmer than those rats that ate the conventional diet.
• They had a higher vitamin E count in their blood (for organically fed rats).

Even though the experiment plainly demonstrates the positive and beneficial effects of organically grown foods compared to conventionally grown foods on rat health, the results can’t be directly correlated to human beings. Therefore, further research will need to be done in order to discover conclusively the relationship between human health and organically grown foods.

Were you aware that of the 300 pesticides approved by the federal government, 73 (including some of the most frequently used) are “probable” or “possible” carcinogens.

HUMAN AND ANIMAL BENEFITS

Organic farming is considered ’sustainable’ farming. The workers and the animals are not as exposed to dangerous toxins or working and living conditions. This enables people to continue growing healthy foods for the rest of society without reliance on huge machinery and chemicals.

The animals raised on organic farms are not subject to the terrible living conditions imposed on commercially reared animals who often live in exceedingly small spaces without the freedom to move or interact. These unhealthy conditions lead to a spreading of illness which is combated with regular doses of antibiotics.

On organic farms the animals’ needs are given priority. Healthy food, clean living conditions and freedom to behave like animals means healthier animals. When animals are sick they are cared for individually according to their actual needs.

Organic, sustainable farming protects humans, animals and the environment. Increasing the demand for organic products will encourage this form of farming and ensure that the food supply available to our children is a healthy one.

Where Can I Find And Buy Organic Products?

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