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Importance of organic farming
Importance of organic farming
Importance of organic farming
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Organic farming and food has been a passion of mine for a while, growing up I had a small family garden that I planted every spring and tended to it though the summer into autumn. I personally never used chemical pesticides and fertilizers, I would use grass clippings and leaves from the previous year as fertilizer and as a weed deterrent. The reason why I never used chemical pesticides and fertilizers is because they can cause serious harm with direct contact, such as birth defects, blisters on the skin, pulmonary problems, and even death in serious cases, etc… In my opinion, there is no need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides; this is because civilization has gone thousands of years without them. Since organic farming does not use chemical …show more content…
When a person is exposed at an early age, there can be developmental delays, motor skill dysfunction, and behavioral disorders. Women who are pregnant are more susceptible to the side effects of pesticides, due to their already stressed out bodies. Pesticides can be passed from mother to child through breast milk, and through the skin when pesticides are absorbed through the skin and into the blood stream, ultimately affecting the mother as well as the fetus. Atrazine is one of the most widely used herbicide in the United States today, “Now researchers in Indiana are finding that a rare birth defect called’gastroschisis’ shows up more among babies conceived when atrazine levels are high” (Schafer, 2011, …show more content…
Organic dairy only uses certified organic alfalfa to feed milk cows. Although organic regulations were not altered in the decision, it is still a danger that may affect organic dairy production due to the unregulated planting. Certified organic farmers in the US have remained committed to the use of only certified organic seeds that aren’t owned and copyrighted by a biotechnology company. One of the main reasons this is done, is because in non-organic farming city sewage; “bio-solids”, are used to fertilize them. The problem with this is city sewage contains; heavy metals, lawn pesticides, detergents, oil, gas, as well as other harmful chemicals that may wind up in city sewage pipes. On the other hand, certified organic food is never grown with sewage waste that has been
Organic fertilisers and natural pest control methods minimise the impact of viticulture on the environment. In recent years there has been a considerable movement by some growers towards an organic approach. This is as a result of consumer driven trends and pressure to minimise the environmental impact of viticulture.
6. "Organic Farming." US Environmental Protection Agency. 29 July 2009. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .
When people use pesticides, they feel as though their houses and children are protected. Many people don’t see the down fall of using such harsh chemicals. Exposure to harsh chemicals can send your body in a downward spiral. Pesticides are everywhere, on the food we eat, on the building we sleep in, and even I the schools you send your child to. What is even more shocking is that many people don’t know that pesticides are in many household products such as oven cleaners, laundry detergent, floor polish, drain cleaners, and even arts and craft supplies.
Men today are always exposed to many toxics chemicals. Sengupta states, “Several research studies have indicated that sperm counts have been in decline for decades, and scientists say modern lifestyles and contacts with chemicals are a contributing factor and exposure to pesticides is just one of the reasons for this decline” (1017). Pesticides are one of the most harmful chemicals that play role in effecting a male’s sperm counts. A worker that worked at a chemical factory in 1975 went to his doctor having many headaches and tremors. It turned out that he and the rest of his workers had been contaminated with chlordecone which affected their sperm counts. Only 25% of the workers at that factory had normal sperm counts. These workers were given medication that removed the chlordecone and increased their sperm count over the next five years. Also, Gabrielsen, J. S. and C. Tanrikut states, “Occupational exposures to pesticides have demonstrated dramatic effects on spermatogenesis because of the high levels and long durations of exposure” (654). Another case where workers in a factory had elevated FSH and LH levels and normal testosterone levels which also effected their sperm counts shows just how much pesticides effect male
Agriculture is the most fundamental resource of society. Without it, humans could not live, especially in the ways we do now where people reside in cities. This means that those cities could not exist without large scale agriculture to sustain them. Since agriculture is such a necessity, people have developed methods to gain more from their land. One of the many solutions besides machinery they have developed to produce higher crop yields is through the use of pesticides. However, those pesticides which have resulted in high crop yields have come at price, and that is human health itself. This seems rather contradictory. Pesticides were designed to help people and society by increased the success of producing high crop yields, and they still do that, but at the same time, those same pesticides have caused unforeseen health risks, primarily to those have had to handle them. The average person would not consider pesticides as being a cause for depression, or in worst case scenario, suicide, but studies have found significant links. Even though California is just one place in the world, it has large agricultural areas which were, and still are, represented in many scientific studies that have found those unforeseen risks from pesticide use. Since pesticides are poisons, producers and safety activities urge several safety precautions to attempt to reduce the effect on human users. However, these precautions sometimes do not prevent long term damages in the people that live and work in such close proximity, which are the agricultural workers. Since the risk are known, policies have been put into place, but despite that, the use of pesticides remains high. Like many of the anthropological readings from this course, there are also added ...
Organic foods are those grown without the use of growth hormones, antibiotics, synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizers. Genetically modifying crops is also not preformed in organic farming. Soil fertility can be maintained using crop rotation, cultivation practices, and cover crops. Natural fertilizers and pesticides are still considered to be included in organic farming (Winter & Davis, 2006). Products that are controlled with cultivation conditions rather than chemical-synthetic pesticides include organic products (Woese, Lange, Boess & Werner Bogl, 1999). The use of synthetic pesticides and materials falls under conventional farming. If the materials are on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, it can, however, be considered organic. A process that chemically changes a substance extracted from naturally occurring sources is considered a synthetic material (Winter & Davis, 2006).
Many consumers and farmers have discovered that living in an industrialized culture where the focus has become faster, bigger, and cheaper is not the best way to produce our food. Obsessed with productivity, the agriculture industry is reaping the negative consequences of creating an unsustainable environment for food production. Time and time again, the media captures stories regarding deadly bacterial contamination and dangerous pesticide contamination causing illness and death in our communities. The environment is also damaged and contaminated. This devastating trend, due to irresponsible farming practices as a result of the industrialization of the food industry, has become all too common. Returning to organic farming, which our grandparents referred to as farming, and reclaiming our food is not only our choice, it is our right.
For years organic farmers and conventional farmers have feuded over which is superior. Organic farmers argue that their product is more eco-friendly because they do not use the synthetic chemicals and fertilizers conventional farmer’s use. Conventional farmers argue that their product is healthier and yields more. People tend to have stereotypes regarding the two types of farmers. Organic farmers are usually thought of as liberal, hippy, tree-huggers while conventional farmers are usually thought of as right-wing, industrialists. Obviously, some do adhere to this stereotype, but a majority of these farmers are normal, hardworking people. Although these farmers, both believe in their methods, one is no better than the other. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but there is no true superior method of crop farming.
"Pesticides." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 18 July 2005. Web. 20 May 2011. .
A study of 362 datasets found that organic agriculture produces 80% of conventional yield with 21% standard deviation (Tomek et al. 2012). Second, organic farming requires less energy input which equates to less money spend from the farmers in addition to lowering carbon emissions. A study by the Department of Environment shows that organic agriculture uses 25 percent less than energy than their chemical counterparts, and certain crops like organic leeks and broccoli use 58 and 49 percent less, respectively (Bialis et al. 2013). Third, organic farming does not use pesticides. According to the World Health Center, 20,000 people die annually from the exposure of pesticides (Costa et al. 2014). Fourth, the methods that organic farmers use are better for the environment in the long run. And lastly, organic farming creates more jobs. A study done in United Kingdom shows 93,000 jobs could be created if Britain were to make a full scale shift to organic farming (Herro 2006). Although conventional agriculture is the primary producer for food currently, a large scale shift to organic agriculture is better suited to feed the world because organic agriculture can produce at adequate yield, requires less energy input, do not use
In a study conducted by the University of London’s Centre for Toxicology, 30 out of 37 commonly used pesticides have been tested to block or mimic male hormones (Cone). This blockage can affect testosterone levels negatively as well as other androgens produced within a male’s body causing serious health concerns with fertilization, hair loss, and low sex drive. The study also discovered that certain pesticides that are used within today’s agriculture can, “…activate or inhibit hormone receptors in cells that turn genes on and off” (Cone). Therefore, fetuses and infants can be at high risk when exposed in the womb or through breast milk since the hormones being turned on or off control masculinization of the reproductive tract. Overall, pesticides seem like they are doing more harm to human’s health then they are at keeping crops healthy and should be eliminated from modern agriculture
Thirty years later, organic farming was in high demand, but suffered developing pains. Although there was agreements being made, there was no regulations put forth towards organic farming. Fast forwarding to present time, many consumers are starting to purchase organic food products even making it a trend. Written in Inouye, Alena, and McCauley’s 2006 article “Organic Farming Should Be Pursued”, “organic farming is gaining in popularity due to Americans ' increasing concern about food safety and environmental protection.” This quote assumes the reasoning behind the sudden popularity in organic farming is society’s attraction towards the idea of a cleaner food industry and environment. The article also mentions, “As a result, sales of organic foods in the United States have increased by more than 20 percent every year since 1996, reaching $7.8 billion in 2000.”(Inouye, Alena, McCauley) The fact that popularity towards organic farming grows at a rate of 20 percent every single year further proves how its movement has such an impact towards the consumers of
Chemical farming has become such a cultural norm that humans have turned a blind eye to what is really happening behind the scenes and have come to accept what the big manufacturing companies have told us. What these companies don’t want us to know is that when you produce food on a conventional farm you are producing food that is harmful to the environment. Conventional farms use fossil fuel derivative fertilizers to help add nutrients to the soil, but “these are the reason the earth is experiencing dangerous climate changes” (Sustainable Table). Also, the quality and consistency in the crops are lowered when they are planted on a chemical farm because many companies use artificial manure that leads to “artificial nutrition, artificial food, artificial animals and finally artificial
First of all, the main reason that people choose organic food is that people think organic foods have less chemical residue, such as pesticide, and fertilizer. In the article “Organic foods contain higher levels of certain nutrients, lower levels of pesticides, and may provide health benefits for the consumer”, Crinnion indicated that organic foods just had 33 percent of the amount of pesticide and fertilizer residues that found in conventional foods, and conventional foods contain two or more types of chemical residues than organic foods (Crinnion, 2010). In addition, Crinnion used a study of Seattle preschoolers as an example to demonstrate organic foods have less pesticide residues. The study of Seattle concluded that children who ate more conventional foods had six times higher level of pesticide resi...
Organic farming has mushroomed drastically in importance and influence worldwide from its modest beginnings in the first half of the last century. Organic farming is production of food and livestock without the use of herbicides, pesticides, weedicides, fertilizers or genetically modified organism and use natural resources such as manure and compost instead. In other words, it is a production system which maintains the quality of soil ecosystem as well as human beings. According to IOWA State University, “the chemicals were not used for farming before World War 2. A number of munitions used in farming have contributed to field of agriculture.