As defined by the USDA in 1980 (1), organic farming is a system that excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and growth regulators. Organic farmers rely heavily on crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, legumes, green manures, organic wastes, and mineral-bearing rocks to feed the soil and supply plant nutrients. Insects, weeds, and other pests are managed by mechanical cultivation and cultural, biological, and biorational controls.
According to the international organic farming organisation IFOAM : “The role of organic agriculture, whether in farming, processing, distribution, or consumption, is to sustain and enhance the health of ecosystems and organisms from the smallest in the soil to human beings.”
Organic farming is also often associated with support for principles beyond agricultural practices, such as fair trade and environmental stewardship.
Approximately 31 million hectares (75 million acres) worldwide are now grown organically.
A definition of “Organic agriculture,” proposed by the National Organic Standards Board, is:

“Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony. Organic is a labeling term which denotes products produced under the requirements of the Organic Foods Production Act.

The primary goal of Organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people. The principal guidelines for organic production are to use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and that integrate the parts of the farming system into an ecological whole. Organic agriculture practices cannot ensure that products are completely free of residues; however, methods are used to minimize pollution from the air, soil and water. Organic food handlers, processors and retailers adhere to standards that maintain the integrity of Organic agriculture products.”

Standards (organic certification)

Increasingly, organic farming is defined by formal standards regulating production methods, and in some cases, final output. Two types of standard exist, voluntary and legislated. As early as the 1970s, private associations created standards, against which organic producers could voluntarily have themselves certified. In the 1980s, governments began to produce organic production guidelines. Beginning in the 1990s, a trend toward legislation of standards began, most notably the EU-Eco-regulation developed in the European Union.
In 1991, the European Commission formulated the first government system to regulate organic labeling. In one go, the European Regulation (EEC) 2092/91 set the rules in 12 countries, creating a huge market. Organic certification, which until then was a voluntary quality control system, became mandatory to all operations and was also to be applied for imports. In the meantime, Europe had become the most prominent market place for organic products and an increasing number of suppliers all over the world accepted this niche as a new challenge and a rewarding option to export high quality and high priced speciality products. All these supplies, of course, had to comply with the requirements of the European market and thus the Regulation (EEC) N° 2092/91 became a universal standard for organic production systems
An international framework for organic farming is provided by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), the international democratic umbrella organization established in 1972. For IFOAM members, organic agriculture is based upon the Principles of Organic Agriculture and the IFOAM Norms. The IFOAM Norms consist of the IFOAM Basic Standards and IFOAM Accreditation Criteria.
The IFOAM Basic Standards are a set of “standards for standards.” They are established through a democratic and international process and reflect the current state of the art for organic production and processing. They are best seen as a work in progress to lead the continued development of organic practices worldwide. They provide a framework for national and regional standard-setting and certification bodies to develop detailed certification standards that are responsive to local conditions.
Legislated standards are established at the national level, and vary from country to country. In recent years, many countries have legislated organic production, including the EU nations (1990s), Japan (2001), and the US (2002). Non-governmental national and international associations also have their own production standards. In countries where production is regulated, these agencies must be accredited by the government.
Since 1993 when EU Council Regulation 2092/91 became effective, organic food production has been strictly regulated in the UK.
In India, standards for organic agriculture were announced in May 2001, and the National Programme on Organic Production (NPOP) is administered under the Ministry of Commerce. [www.apeda.com/organic/quality.html]
In 2002, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) established production standards, under the National Organic Program (NOP), which regulate the commercial use of the term organic. [8] Farmers and food processors must comply with the NOP in order to use the word.

The organic logo

In March 2000 the European Commission introduced a logo bearing the words ‘Organic Farming - EC Control System’ to be used on a voluntary basis by producers whose systems and products have been found on inspection to satisfy EU regulations. Consumers buying products bearing this logo can be confident that:

  1. At least 95% of the product’s ingredients have been organically produced.T
  2. he product complies with the rules of the official inspection scheme.
  3. The product has come directly from the producer or preparer in a sealed package.
  4. The product bears the name of the producer, the preparer or vendor and the name or code of the inspection body.

Growers choose organic methods for a variety of reasons. One of the attractions of organic produce is that it sometimes brings a 10-30% premium in the marketplace. As organically-grown produce becomes commonplace, however, these premiums may be the exception rather than the rule, and motivation beyond market premiums should be considered. Incentives may include the possibility of reduced input costs, improved farm safety, reduced environmental impact, and a better-functioning agroecosystem.

Genetically modified organisms

A key characteristic of organic farming is rejection of genetically engineered products, including plants and animals. On October 19, 1998, participants at IFOAM’s 12th Scientific Conference of IFOAM) issued the Mar del Plata Declaration, where more than 600 delegates from over 60 countries voted unanimously to exclude the use of genetically modified organisms in food production and agriculture. From this point, it became widely recognized that GMOs are categorically excluded from organic farming.
“GMO-free” is also a popular marketing point for organic food. Opponents of GMOs claim that we don’t fully understand the impact of genetic engineering on food quality, plant or animal health. Proponents argue that with a rapidly expanding global population, genetic engineering to create higher volumes of produce could play an important role in ending world hunger, without requiring additional land. It could also help, they say, to create healthier food, and to ensure proper nourishment, and has the potential to make farming more profitable, allowing agricultural industries to survive in increasingly service-oriented economies. Often overlooked in this debate is the fact that genetic engineering is a technique, not an essential characteristic of the organisms it produces, and that humans have used selective breeding to modify crops and livestock for tens of thousands of years.
The contamination of organic farms with GM product, usually through pollination, is an important issue. Contamination may lead to products being incorrectly labeled as organic or GMO-free, or may reduce the value of crop as it cannot be sold as organic, leading to losses for the farmer.
The mechanism of cross-contamination is not fully understood, with studies still underway[citation needed]. Meanwhile, cases of cross-contamination have been documented, while the extent is still unclear. A first-time study of genetic cross-contamination, published in Feb. 2004, found that at least two-thirds of conventional corn, soybeans and canola in the US contain traces of genetic material from GM varieties. Along with commercial GM crops, trials for new GM plants producing food, pharmaceuticals (pharmacrops) and industrial materials (eg: plastics), are being conducted in the US, Canada, and elsewhere. With the genetic engineering of alfalfa (not yet widely grown), a primary green manure fertilizer crop, not only primary crops, but the underpinnings of organic agriculture are threatened. It is conceivable that genetic contamination could make GMO-free farming next to impossible.

Food contamination

Critics point out organic food could be less safe than non-organic food, by increasing the risk of exposure to biological contaminants and food-borne diseases. In particular concerns are related to the use of manure, well known for carrying human pathogens and presence of mycotoxins from molds. One large, influential French study, evaluating organic and conventional food during 1999-2000, warned that biological toxins in certain organic products (apples, wheat) should be closely monitored. Food contamination is usually caused by unhygienic handling and storage, including use of contaminated water, which can occur on-farm, in transit, and at the point of preparation. On the other hand, there has been no concrete evidence as of yet showing a direct link between organic farming practices and food contamination, and animal manure is also used extensively in conventional farming.

Food quality

Healthy soils equals healthy food equals healthy people is a basic tenet of many organic farming systems. But the claims of nutritional superiority of food grown by organic methods over conventional grown food is the subject of much controversy. Without conclusive evidence either way, some organic supporters believe that the overall nutritional and health-promoting value of food is compromised by chemical-farming methods. This involves areas like micronutrients and trace elements, plant physiology, the way plants grow and the process of human nutrition. The common sense appeal is that food grown in unnatural, sheltered, chemically assisted ways isn’t as “good” for people as “naturally grown” food, as some things are different or missing. The counter-argument is that, by currently accepted standards of food science, there has been no demonstration of a functional difference between organically and conventionally produced food. Further, there is some concern that due to the limited methods available to organic farmers for combating quality problems while adhering to organic standards, some organic food does not generally achieve comparable safety and quality standards as “conventionally” grown products. Preliminary data from a UN study based in the UK shows that although organic dairy may have higher somatic cell counts, conventional dairy cows may be treated more often with antibiotics than organic dairy.

There is extensive scientific research being carried out in Switzerland at over 200 farms to determine differences in the quality of organic food products vry conventional in addition to other tests. The FiBL scientific research institute states that “organic products stand out as having higher levels of secondary plant compounds and vitamin C. In the case of milk and meat, the fatty acid profile is often better from a nutritional point of view. As regards carbohydrates and minerals, organic products are no different from conventional products. As regards undesirable substances such as nitrate and pesticide residues, organic products have a clear advantage.”

Sources: wikipedia, european commission, national sustainable agriculture information service.

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