Organic Farming: What Is It?

Organic Farming: An Explanation

I am sure you have heard the term organic farming before as it is widely discussed today, but do you know what it is? Well if you have ever wondered “what is organic farming” continue reading and I will explain what it is and why it is important today.

The organic farming definition is a type of agriculture that hinges upon natural processes to maintain soil productivity and to control pests and weeds. These natural processes include such things as crop rotation, green manure, composting and pest control through biological means. This type of farming puts strict limits on the use of any type of manufactured fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Organic farms also do not use any type of genetically modified products or additives in an effort to minimize the adverse effects that these substances have upon the environment. People today are realizing the importance of this type of farming and want to reap the benefits of organic farming in their daily lives. Organic farms are becoming more and more common in the world today and I am sure that you have seen an organic farm in your area but maybe you did not know that it was one. Organic farming benefits includes things like no man made chemical pesticides, herbicides, insecticides or fertilizes. The results taste fantastic as well!

Organic Farming Standards

Organic agriculture standards are regulated internationally and these standards are enforced with vigor in many countries throughout the world today. These standards are based upon the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements and because of this strict attention to detail the organic farming movement is growing year to year. Institutions like the organic farming research foundation is vital to maintain these standards and are doing an excellent job. Check out their website if you get a chance.

Organic Farming History

The history of organic farming stretches back for thousands of years as it was the original type of farming that humans engaged in to survive. Although technically it has been around for thousands of years it really did not become known as organic farming or become popular until Sir Albert Howard founded the post industrial revolution organic movement in response to the introduction of inorganic farming methods that relied on manufactured fertilizers of which some had horrible side effects in regards to the health of the population.

Organic Farming Today

Today the organic farming movement makes up only a small portion of the total agricultural output around the world but it is becoming more and more of a force in the field. People are concerned  about what they put into their body and what the conventional farming methods are doing to the environment. They are depending more and more on organic food to maintain their health and well being.  This trend towards organic farming methods will only continue and in my opinion it just makes sense. I mean how long will we all revolve around the almighty dollar and continue to ignore the long term implications of what we are doing to this planet? Organic farming is here to stay and future generations will reap the rewards if it becomes the norm in production of our crops. If you would like to learn more you might want to consider getting a job on an organic farm because there are a lot of organic farming jobs out there if you know where to look! If you do find one though it might be hard to secure because there are many willing workers on organic farms these days and they keep these positions for the long term.

Organic Farming Statistics and Organic Farming Facts

• For over a decade organic agriculture has been one of the fastest growing segments of the the US agricultural industry and shows no sign of slowing down.
• The organic livestock industry has grown even faster than the agricultural segment with organic dairy farming leading the way. Many people are keen on organic milk because of all the negative press about hormones and such. Organic chicken farming is also growing very fast for the same reasons.
• In 2008 American farmers dedicated over 4.8 million acres of farmland to the development of organic farming operations including both cropland and pasture land for livestock.
• California is the leading state when it comes to organic farming systems with over 430,000 acres of farmland devoted to this effort.
• These numbers might seem impressive but in reality the adoption of these farming methods is still pretty low. Only about 0.7 percent of all U.S. cropland and 0.5 percent of all U.S. pasture was certified organic in 2008.
• Reasons for this vary but some of the main issues is that this type of agriculture is labor intensive and is not as high yielding as conventional farming methods.

If you would like to learn more about this subject you should research online or find an organic farming magazine to read. There are many of them out there and they will help you to educate yourself about organic farming. Who knows you might even want learn how to start an organic farm or to find an organic farm for sale and become an expert at organic farming in your own right!