Posted on September 3, 2021
Why Buy Organic?
It is safe to say that farming has developed way beyond the image we have in our heads of the farmer out in his field tending to his crops in the early hours of the morning, cows peacefully grazing acres of land or pulling ploughs. Often, farms are populated with large scale machinery and state of the art irrigation systems, or even climate-controlled buildings that create the optimal conditions for growing summer-produce all year round. But what impact is this having on the planet? From a decline in biodiversity to an over-reliance on non-sustainable energy sources, it may be time to consider the impact advancement is having on our planet.
Technological advancement in farming has always been supported by a need to produce more and more food for a growing population. Often reinforced by the fact that, over the last 100 years, the world’s population has grown exponentially from two to eight billion people;[1] ‘of course we need to produce more food’, it can be thought, ‘the population is growing quicker than we can handle’. Yet, in 2013, the British Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimated around 30-50% of all food produce went uneaten (and therefore, wasted). In the UK alone, an estimated 6.7 million tonnes of food are wasted each year. It could be argued therefore, the problem is not production of food – rather distribution. Nonetheless, it would be safe to assume that we can afford to pair-back our farming methods, especially here in the UK and, with that in mind, let’s take a deeper look into the benefits of organic farming.
Recently in the media, the pros for organic farming have centred around the ‘pesticide problem’- the use of pesticides in commercial farming have been linked with an increased risk of developing certain cancers.[2] However, research into the validity of these claims is still uncertain. This is not to say that there are no risks associated with the use of pesticides, on the contrary, the use of pesticides in commercial farming can be attributed to the development of so-called ‘super-weeds’ and ‘super-bugs’. Resistant to conventional pesticides, they pose a risk to the natural landscape as invasive species.
So, what is the alternative? And what does organic farming do to combat these issues? Firstly, the avoidance of conventional pesticides in favour of natural methods helps to maintain biodiversity. One of the ways this is accomplished is through the use of beneficial bugs (such as ladybirds), that are natural predators to many of the bugs that would otherwise disrupt crop production. Not only does this prevent farmers from having to rely on harsh chemical pesticides but it also encourages biodiversity by utilising rather than inadvertently killing the insect population.
Additionally, when it comes to animal farming, organic farms do not feed anti-biotics and growth hormones to their livestock. Instead feeding them organic produce and providing animals with space to roam outside. Not only does this benefit the animals they also provide a function for the farmer, improving the fertility of the soil through grazing and enhancing biodiversity. In essence, the root of organic farming is a return to some aspects of traditional farming, relying on the co-dependence of beneficial species (both plant and animal) to promote soil fertility and biodiversity.
So, what should we be looking out for? And can we trust ‘organic’ labelled produce? Documentaries such as SeaSpiracy have raised valid criticisms of product labelling and claims surrounding product sourcing that have left a lot of us who are making a conscious effort to shop sustainably adequately confused. The accusation that companies use labelling to green-wash food without maintaining the correct regulatory practices hits hard, especially when we make the active choice to support companies that seem to morally align with our own values. So, how does this relate to ‘organic’ produce? Thankfully, legislation surrounding the use of organic labelling is maintained by the EU and is regulated by law. There are also independent organisations that go even further to reinforce organic farming practices, carrying out their own inspections of farm-land and testing of soil. The Soil Association is one such organisation, having developed the world’s first organic standards in the 1960s, they have continued to campaign for animal welfare, human health and sustainability in farming. As stated on their website, ‘our organic standards use the EU organic regulation as their baseline, but in many cases our standards are more robust.’[3] As such, they are widely considered the ‘gold-standard’ certification for organic produce and are largely trusted throughout the industry. (Look out for their logo next time you’re shopping for groceries.)
In summary, as a society that is increasingly concerned with the environmental impact of farming and food production, one of the ways we as consumers can support companies that shift some of their focus onto sustainability is by increasing the amount of organic produce that we eat. This doesn’t necessarily mean making a radical and unwavering shift to buying organic but making small and smart decisions about where our food and everyday products we use comes from, is a good place to start.
[1] https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9498903/
[3] https://www.soilassociation.org/who-we-are/organic-principles/
