Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, and biological

pest control. Organic farming uses fertilizers and pesticides but strictly limits the use of manufactured fertilizers, pesticides, plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, genetically modified organisms, and human sewage sludge.

 Organic

international umbrella organization for organic farming organizations established in 1972. IFOAM defines the overarching goal of organic farming as: "Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.

agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an

The word organic can be attributed to the following agricultural products: Meats Fruits Vegetables Dairy products Grains

 Organic

foods are grown and processed using a particular set of farming practices that eliminate chemicals, while helping the environment by conserving water and nurturing soil. Some of the key aspects of organic farming include: Using natural fertilizers, like compost, instead of chemical fertilizers. Utilizing insects, birds, plants and other natural means of pest control instead of spraying insecticides over crops. Manually managing weed growth through farming techniques, like crop rotation, eliminating the use of herbicides. Using natural methods to care for animals like using organic feed rather than giving animals growth hormones.

 SOIL

MANAGEMENT
MANAGEMENT OTHER ORGANISMS

WEED

CONTROLLING

Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as micronutrients and symbiotic relationships with fungi and other organisms to flourish. Crop rotation and green manure ("cover crops") help to provide nitrogen through legumes (more precisely, the Fabaceae family) which fix nitrogen from the atmosphere through symbiosis with rhizobial bacteria. Intercropping, which is sometimes used for insect and disease control, can also increase soil nutrients.

Organic weed management promotes weed suppression, rather than weed elimination, by enhancing crop competition and phototoxic effects on weeds .Organic farmers integrate cultural, biological, mechanical, physical and chemical tactics to manage weeds without synthetic . Mechanical and physical weed control practices used on organic farms can be broadly grouped as: Tillage - Turning the soil between crops to incorporate crop residues and soil amendments; remove existing weed growth and prepare a seedbed for planting; Cultivation - Disturbing the soil after seeding; Mowing and cutting - Removing top growth of weeds; Flame weeding and thermal weeding - Using heat to kill weeds; and Mulching - Blocking weed emergence with organic materials, plastic films, or landscape fabric.

Organisms aside from weeds that cause problems on organic farms include arthropods (e.g., insects, mites), nematodes, fungi and bacteria. Organic farmers use a wide range of Integrated Pest Management practices to prevent pests and diseases. These include, but are not limited to, crop rotation and nutrient management; sanitation to remove pest habitat; provision of habitat for beneficial organisms; selection of pest-resistant crops and animals; crop protection using physical barriers, such as row covers; and crop diversification .

Organic produce contains fewer pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. These chemicals are widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat. Organic food is often fresher. Fresh food tastes better. Organic food is usually fresher when eaten because it doesnt contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is often (but not always, so watch where it is from) produced on smaller farms near where it is sold.

Organic farming is better for the environment. Organic farming practices reduce pollution (air, water, soil), conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy. In addition, organic farming is better for birds and small animals as chemical pesticides can make it harder for creatures to reproduce and can even kill them. Farming without pesticides is also better for the people who harvest our food.

Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal byproducts. The use of antibiotics in conventional meat production helps create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. This means that when someone gets sick from these strains they will be less responsive to antibiotic treatment. Not feeding animal byproducts to other animals reduces the risk of mad cow disease (BSE). In addition, the animals are given more space to move around and access to the outdoors, both of which help to keep the animals healthy. The more crowded the conditions, the more likely an animal is to get sick.

Organic vs. Non-organic Produce Organic produce: No Pesticides Grown with natural fertilizers (manure, compost). Weeds are controlled naturally (crop rotation, hand weeding, mulching, and tilling). Insects are controlled using natural methods (birds, good insects, traps). Conventionally grown produce: Pesticides used Grown with synthetic or chemical fertilizers. Weeds are controlled with chemical herbicides. Insecticides are used to manage pests and disease.

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methods of farming can be just as dangerous as conventional use of chemicals, pesticides and insecticides. For example, manure used as an organic fertilizer may increase the risk of E. coli bacteria on food products, which could lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea and other conditions related to food poisoning. organic foods may spoil faster because they don't have chemical preservatives.

Organic produce is smaller and less uniform than conventional because the farmers can't use the synthetic fertilizers that can bulk up the size . Organic farming is also more expensive than conventional farming, as can be seen with the cost of using a chemical weed killer versus the manpower required to manually pull weeds and rotate crops.

INORGANIC FARMING

Inorganic

farming is an agriculture production method which involves the use of manmade products such as pesticides, herbicides. Inorganic farming uses soil fumigants to sterilize soil, herbicides to kill weeds, chemical fertilizers to feed crops, pesticides to control insect, pests, and fungicides to control fungal diseases. Inorganic farmers often use antibiotics even though no disease is present, as a preventative; they also use certain antibiotics and hormones which they believe will increase the rate and amount of growth and production. Inorganic farming uses chemicals to simplify ecosystems. Inorganic foods sometimes called non-organic food, are those that are produced with artificial or synthetic substances or processes.

Produce
Non-organic produce is any that is grown with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or other chemicals. In non-organic produce, farmers may utilize a variety of synthetic fertilizers that typically combine different ratios of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. For example, anhydrous ammonia is a common liquid fertilizer that, once injected into the ground, reacts with water and increases the availability of nitrogen, according to Michigan State University Extension.

Pesticides

& Herbicides sewage sludge

Contaminated Hormones,

Antibiotics, & remains of other animals

Irradiation

Non organic food is likely to be contaminated with residues that often occur in potentially dangerous combinations. Contain more water than organic produce, which contains more dry matter (on average, 20% more) for a given total weight.

The negative effects of pesticides on health include neurotoxicity, disruption of the endocrine system, carcinogenicity and immune system suppression.


Fewer blemishes on crops Produce is cheaper

Bigger yields from land available

Fewer workers needed

Antibiotics use keeps animals healthy

Large numbers of animals kept in ideal conditions

Use of hormones increases meat production

Chemicals stay in soil

Man-made chemicals used

Animals live in crowded conditions

Chemicals wash into rivers

Hedgerow habitats destroyed

Natural predators destroyed

Fact
Nutrients

Non Organic Food

During processing, non organic foods lose some nutrients and such nutrients have to be artificially added back to the food. Chemical fertilizers are used to provide nutrients for the growth of crops in conventional farming.

Fertilizers

Pesticides

In conventional farming, there are over 450 pesticides which are permitted for use. Many of these pesticides are toxic. Herbicides are used in non organic farming to protect crops from insects and weeds. Herbicides sometimes leave a harmful toxic residue on the plants. Human waste is used as a fertilizer to grow crops in conventional farming. This contaminated sewage sludge may cause diseases. Non organic food is irradiated, to kill harmful bacteria and other microorganisms. Such radiations might cause diseases in human beings. Nitrous contain nitrate as a common ingredient and this nitrate gets converted to nitrosamines, which may be retained in the food and be cancer causing. Genetically modified seeds are used in non organic farming. Such seeds are expensive and difficult for farmers to afford. Such seeds give high yields crops, but such plants may be deficient in nutrients. Animals are given antibiotics against diseases. Intensive farming methods are used to grow chicken quickly and most of the time the animals are kept indoors. Animals are injected with hormones for stimulating growth, so that they can be sold in the markets. As animals are given antibiotics in conventional farming, human body, when sick does not accept the same antibiotics, thus reducing the body's immunity in the long run. Exposure to pesticides is harmful to humans and especially harmful to women's health.

Herbicides

Sewage Sludge

Irradiation

Nitrate Amount

Genetic Engineering

Animal Welfare

Hormones

Effect on human body

Food Poisoning

There are more chances of food poisoning with conventional farming food products because of the use of chemicals in the form of fertilizers and pesticides.

Use of pesticides damages aquatic life. Herbicides and pesticides contain toxic chemicals, which has Environment Pollution resulted in lesser number of birds, insects and wild plants on the farmland. Earthworms are essential for good soil health and using pesticides and insecticides reduce earthworm population. This leads to increased dependence of the soil, on pesticides.

Soil Erosion

Due to productivity and cropping regimes in conventional farming, there is more soil erosion.

Cost

Non organic food contains many hidden cost like taxes and the cost of the treatment for the harm caused to the environment by conventional farming.

Appearance

Non organic food is treated many times with preservatives.

Quality Standards

All non organic food products have the normal quality approval labels on them.

Food Safety

Many a times harmful preservatives are added to non organic foods. If you measure the availability of organic food v/s non organic food, most non organic foods are easily available. Maximum consumers buy non organic food, as it is cheaper and easily available.

Availability

Number of Consumers