What does organic mean?
It can mean many things for something to be organic.
Firstly, it is a very broad subject, and there are many criteria on what organic food and agriculture should be. Secondly, the definition of organic is generally misunderstood, and if you don't actually know what it is, how can you know whether to buy it or not?
This is IFOAM's (International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements) definition of organic agriculture:
"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."
From what I have found out, there are many things that can make your produce or land organic, such as:
- No use of synthetic agricultural pesticides
- Excluded use of synthetic fertilisers- which means farmers use mulch or faeces on crops
- No GMOs (genetically modified organisms)
- No growth hormones or antibiotics are used on animals
- No sewage sludge- this is the leftover waste after sewage or industrial waste water has been cleaned at the treatment plant, which although can have a number of highly dangerous materials in it, can have nutrients as well, which can be used on crops.
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