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Organics again
I know that in the past I have discussed organic foods and all of the broad topics that fall under that category but I would like to come back around to this idea again. We have once again reached the time of the year when the leaves fall and the temperature makes most agriculture impossible. Farmer’s markets will be closing up shop soon and leaving only winter markets which sell mostly meets and dairy products. This is an especially important time to know what kinds of things there are out there for you to buy when you go to the shelves at the supermarket. Knowing is half the battle and for those of you on a small student’s budget, then knowing where to compromise because of costs is also very important.
What do we mean when we say Organic food? Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards, meaning they are grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. Livestock are reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified. In the U.S. this is something you must watch out for though because there are still modified products out there. Personally I feel that free range meat is better than just organic. If you buy locally then I bet you could find organic and free range from the same producer without having to compromise on that piece of your diet.
Organic food production is legally regulated. Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain organic certification in order to market food as organic.
Historically, organic farms have been relatively small family-run farms — which is why organic food was once only available in small stores or farmers’ markets. However, since the early 1990s organic food production has had growth rates of around 20% a year, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations. As of April 2008, organic food accounts for 1-2% of food sales worldwide. Future growth is expected to range from 10-50% annually depending on the country.
The benefits to organic farming are not simply for personal health reasons, but these purchases effect the biodiversity of the area and the sustainability of the farmland. The last two are things that traditional factory farms do not consider when laying out their production line.
I have to go to class for now but we will keep talking about this next time. Stay tuned.