Organic food and farming - some common questions answered

What is organic farming?
Is there anything in the Standards about animal welfare?
Are there any health reasons for buying organic food?
Are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) used in the production of organic food?
Is organic farming good for the environment?
How do I know it's organic?

What is organic farming?

Organic agriculture is a safe, sustainable farming system, producing healthy crops and livestock without damage to the environment.
It avoids the use of artificial chemical fertilisers and pesticides on the land, relying instead on developing a healthy, fertile soil and growing a mixture of crops. In this way, the farm remains biologically balanced, with a wide variety of beneficial insects and other wildlife to act as natural predators for crop pests and a soil full of micro-organisms and earthworms to maintain its vitality. Animals are reared without the routine use of the array of drugs, antibiotics and wormers which form the foundation of most conventional livestock farming.
Organic is a term defined by law and all organic food production and processing is governed by a strict set of rules.

Is there anything in the Standards about animal welfare?

The animal welfare is regulated in the "Standards for Organic Food and Farming". The rules are constantly under review by a group of experienced organic farmers, vets and scientists to ensure that all the farm animals are reared in optimal conditions on organic farms.
Animals have access to fields and are allowed to express their natural behaviour patterns. Animals always have comfortable bedding, usually straw, and plenty of space when they are housed.
Organic livestock farmers can manage their animals without the routine use of antibiotics and other drugs because they run a healthy, balanced system; not keeping too many animals on a given area, keeping a mixture of species wherever possible and using natural organic feedstuffs. Grazing animals like cows and sheep are fed mainly on herb and clover rich grass. Homeopathy and herbal remedies are used widely in organic livestock management. In a case of acute illness, where the animal might otherwise suffer, a conventional drug treatment would be used.

Are there any health reasons for buying organic food?

The best reason for buying organic food is simply that it tastes extremely good, but undoubtedly there are also sound health reasons for doing so. It has been shown in some studies to have more vitamins and trace elements than conventionally grown food and, of course, it will not have been treated with noxious chemicals.
 
There is a vast array of pesticides used in conventional agriculture, many of which are extremely toxic to humans, causing cancers as well as other illnesses. So-called acceptable levels are calculated for each of these chemicals and their risks to human health evaluated. However, surveys consistently show much higher residues occurring in a proportion of food samples than government regulations allow. There is also little knowledge of the long term effects of these compounds or of the 'cocktail' effect (the way in which their toxicity may be increased by mixing them together).
Intensive agriculture methods also cause high levels of pesticides and nitrates to filter through into drinking water via the water courses. Not only does this present a serious health risk but the cost of reducing the levels in the water has to be met by the tax payer.

Are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) used in the production of organic food?

The organic sector believes that genetically modified organisms have no place in organic food or farming and they are therefore prohibited under the Standards for Organic Food and Farming

Is organic farming good for the environment?

"In most of the studies, important differences were found between the biodiversity on the organic and conventional farms, with generally substantially greater levels of both abundance and diversity of species on the organic farms" The biodiversity benefits of organic farming report - Soil Association 2000
Extensive research has shown that organic farming can be better for the environment than conventional agriculture.
A lot of surveys have shown the beneficial effects of organic farming on wildlife. It's not difficult to see why; the pesticides used in intensive agriculture kill many soil organisms, insects and other larger species. They also kill plants considered to be weeds. That means fewer food sources available for other animals, birds and beneficial insects and it also destroys many of their habitats.
In contrast, organic farming provides a much wider range of habitats; more hedges, wider field margins, herb and clover rich grassland and a mixed range of crops. Wildlife is not a luxury for the organic farmer, but an essential part of the farming system.
The avoidance of artificial chemicals means organic farmers minimise health and pollution problems. They also reduce the use of non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels which are used to produce fertilisers and other agrochemicals.

How do I know it's organic?

Organic' is a term defined by EU law. This means that anyone who is using the term on a food product needs to hold a licence with an approved certification body. The EU has set basic standards for organic production and it is up to the individual member states to translate this into their own law. In Lithuania the Department of Food and Rural Af-fairs is responsible for this. Any organic product imported into the EU must be compli-ant with EU standards, local inspection bodies and the work of competent authorities ensure this.