Organic food refers to food made from plants and animals that do not use synthetic materials to increase their growth rate or increase their edible size. Organic farming is a method considered more favorable than conventional farming due to its environmental, health, and economic benefits. Organic farming does not use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics. It focuses on improving soil quality by adding organic matter, recycling nutrients, and recycling waste. Organic food is healthy and nutritious food that is produced according to a strict organic farmers scale.
Organic food is widely available throughout the world, but many consumers do not know how to tell the difference between “organic” and “non-organic”. In order to ensure that the food one is buying is truly organic, there are certain guidelines that must be met. Many organic farmers are required by law to obtain certification for their products. The “Compact for Organic Agriculture” is the foundation upon which many of these organic programs are based. While this is the most commonly known certification, other certifications exist.
The “Certification of Organic Farms” is another certification that is widely recognized. The “UL certified” symbol stands for U.S. Agricultural Marketing Service. This symbol indicates that the farmer has had the policy in place that covers the use of pesticides as far as the application and sale of the produce is concerned. Organic farmers must also get proper notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before they apply any form of pesticide. This notification ensures that no pesticides will be used on the produce in question.
The certification that farmers receive also covers the manure that they manage. Dairy farms and organic food facilities must be inspected every three months. U.S. Dairy Federation and the National Organic Standards Board are the governing bodies that control certification. They maintain a list of dairy farms that have applied the regulations in full accordance with organic agriculture policies. Consumers can contact the local or state consumer affairs office to find out more about the dairy in question.
The federal government regulates the production of fruits and vegetables. The USDA regulates the amount of pesticides that can be applied on the fruits and vegetables, along with the use of fertilizers, and the length of time during which the crops are harvested. On the whole, organic agriculture does not require intensive soil management techniques. Organic farmers must instead make do with natural compost and crop rotation to ensure healthy yields. Some farmers in the U.S. are even certified by the Non-Government Organic Consumer Association.
There are additional regulations regarding the handling of livestock. Organic farmers are required to humanely treat their animals and use contraceptives only when necessary. The goal of organic food processing and promotion is to ensure that the produce that is produced meets the requirements of various animal welfare organizations.
Organic foods are grown using a number of different methods. The most common organic foods production methods include crop rotation, crop supplementation, soil cultivation, and mechanical harvesting. Organic farmers have to keep in mind that when it comes to feed, there are nutrients in organic foods that cannot be found in conventional produce. This is why it’s important that farmers who grow organic foods pay special attention to ensuring that the produce they’re selling has high nutritional value.
Organic farmers must also be concerned about the use of insecticides, antibiotics, hormones, and other agricultural chemicals. These chemicals can threaten to contaminate and poison the produce that farmers are able to sell. Genetic modified organisms, or GMOs, pose a real threat to the health of consumers. Therefore, organic food producers need to be very careful about the type of fertilizers, pesticides, and other agricultural chemicals they use.