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Sustainable agriculture vs organic agriculture
Essay on organic farming and its benefits
Essay on organic farming its benefits
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Is Organic Meat Better?
Introduction
What exactly is organic? Is producing organic meat beneficial for the farmer? Financially, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food support the organic sector in Ireland through the Organic Farming Scheme and also through other direct payment and investment schemes. Farmers are pushed to go organic through favourable schemes and grants.
Can producing organic meat also promote helping the environment and animal welfare? However, is organic meat better for human health? Based on an analysis of 162 publications over 50 years of research in relation to nutritional content, there is no good evidence that says that consumption of organic products and organic meat is beneficial to health (Agency, 2009).
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Farmers must practice in accordance with standards, these standards have been articulated for crop and livestock production. Organic farming involves; a more respectful use of the countryside, concern for the welfare of animals, the production of high quality agricultural products and the application of production methods that do not damage the environment. This farming system is dependent on crop rotations, on a variation of non-chemical methods for the control of pests, diseases and weeds and on the recycling of farm-produced organic materials i.e. green manure, crop residues, animal manure and legumes. There is severe restrictions and exclusions on the use of synthetically compounded fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Genetic engineering and its methods and products are also strictly prohibited. (Department of Agriculture, …show more content…
Despite having lower output organic farming provides a sustainable income to farming families due to significantly lower inputs when compared to conventional farming practices. Organic farming is frequently met with opposition from those with varied views on its production levels. Many are of the opinion that all utilisable land should be farmed conventionally, to meet growing food demands of an ever increasing population.
References:
Clavin, D. and Moran, B. (2011) Financial Performance of Organic Cattle Farming. Teagasc Rural Economy and Development Programme. Galway.
Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (2013) Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association: Submission on 2020 Strategy. Internet. Available on: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/.../foodharvest2020/foodharvest2020
Howlett , B., Connolly, L., Cowan, C., Meehan, H. and Nielsen, R. (2002) Conversion to Organic Farming: Case Study Report Ireland. Dublin: The National Food Centre.
Keogh, B., Humphreys, J., Phelan, P., Necpalova, I., Casey, A. and Fitzgerald, E. (2009) Organic management strategies and its effect on clover-based grassland production. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 48 (267). Carlow.
Lampkin, N. (1994) Organic farming: sustainable agriculture in practice. The Economics of Organic Farming. An International Perspective.
The amount of foodstuffs produced by organic farms does not meet the demand of the population, which is the main objective of farming. Observing the United States of America alone and using myself as the average American we
Today’s economy and the environment are hurting due to the lack of nurture we have been providing. Conventional farming rules the world of agriculture, but not without a fight from organic farming. Organic farming is seen as the way of farming that might potentially nurture our nature back to health along with the added benefit of improving our own health. With her piece “Organic farming healthier, more efficient than Status Quo,” published in the Kansas State Collegian on September 3, 2013, writer Anurag Muthyam brings forth the importance behind organic farming methods. Muthyam is a senior at Kansas State University working towards a degree in Management. This piece paints the picture of how organic farming methods
6. "Organic Farming." US Environmental Protection Agency. 29 July 2009. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .
The developed world’s love affair with local/organic farming (peasant farming as Collier describes it) has decreased food production worldwide because it does not use the land efficiently enough as with commercial agriculture companies. It also requires government subsidies that large commercial farming companies do not necessarily need. By increasing commercial farming, the world food supply will inevitably increase over a short period.
Organic foods have become more and more popular over the years, and consumers may or may not be knowledgeable when shopping for organic and/or conventional foods. This report will help define the difference between organic and conventional foods and farming, including the health benefits and risks. The demand for organic foods will also be discussed briefly. The purpose of this research is to describe and identify the advantages and issues that are involved with organic and inorganic foods.
“Sustainable agriculture involves food production methods that are healthy, do not harm the environment, respect workers, are humane to animals, provide fair wages to farmers, and support farming communities” (Table, 2009). Local farming methods do not always use sustainable methods. Researching about the methods local farmers use is important in the decision to buy locally.
The twentieth century brought significant changes to our planet. Humanity increasingly relies on fossil fuels and chemicals to grow what nourishes us: our food. At the same time, the world has become an urbanized place. More than half of the world’s people now live in urban areas (UNFPA, 2007). We have become disconnected from nature and natural processes. However, there is a new awareness of how to live in balance with the earth cropping up across the globe. Sustainability has become a way of life. There are now many organizations dedicated to promoting sustainable practises. World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is one of these organizations.
A. A. The “What's So Great About Organic Food?” Time. 176.9 (2010): 30-40. Online.
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.
The farming industry believes in their process of large scale farming or big business production. Large farms are one of the world’s largest industries. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, researcher of many different aspects of the farming industry, “farming has grown into a $15.6 billion dollar industry world wide.” In the United States alone there are an estimated 1.91 million farms (Mercola). Over the years many of the small mom and pop farms have found in nearly impossible to compete with these large farms.
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
The term “organic” is almost everywhere in modern society, whether it’s used to promote a product or it’s debated on whether it really benefits the human diet. Organic food is heavily debated on as it appears more and more in local grocery stores and farmers markets begin to populate, it raises questions such as “Is organic food better than food grown with pesticides and biologically engineered genes?” and “Are there benefits to eating organically over foods grown in any other way?” In terms of what data and results show in research may help lead to answers to most of the heavily debated issues throughout discussions on organic food.
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
(The Sustainability of Irish Agriculture, n.d.) Sustainability is very important on my home farm. Practices have been put in place that won’t cause harm to the environment. My home farm is a small, family enterprise and I feel that new approaches are needed in order to maintain the farms sustainability status. Non-renewable inputs that are harmful to the environment or to the health of farmers should be minimised. As well as this, farmers have knowledge and skills that could be put into use, therefore substituting human capital for costly external outputs. Sustainable agriculture outcomes can be positive for food productivity, reduced pesticide use and carbon balances. (Agricultural Sustainability: concepts, principles and evidence, 2007) In this essay, I will discuss the principles and practices of sustainable agriculture, identifying how they may relate to my home farm. I will then discuss whether or not present activities can change to more sustainable methods in the
The philosophy of agriculture to live harmony with nature is deeply rooted in ancient agriculture and still practiced in India, China and the Andes. Organic agriculture reflects this philosophy, but the recent history of concepts such as organic, bio dynamic, natural farming and other related concepts, can be traced back to early in the 20th century. Conventional agriculture differ from organic farming in terms of usage of chemical fertilizers which increase the nutrient of the soil, usage of genetically modified seeds for better crop production as well as the use of antibiotics and hormones in animal farming. In Malaysia, the major agriculture crop productions are rice, fruits and vegetables (including palm oil production). China is in the first ranking for agriculture sector followed by India and United States of America. Since organic farming is practiced by many countries, without further ado, let’s take a look on how it can affect the environment and its implementation.