About Organic Farming
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is organic farming ?
  • Organic farming is a modern, sustainable farming system which maintains the long-term fertility of the soil and uses less of the Earth's finite resources to produce high quality, nutritious food.  Organic techniques have been developed from an understanding of and research into soil science, crop breeding, animal husbandry and ecology.
  • Organic farming relies principally on crop rotations, the application of animal manures and composts, mechanical cultivation and natural biological pest control to maintain soil fertility, to supply plants with the nutrients they need and to control insects, weeds and other pests.
  • Artificial fertilisers, pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives are prohibited.
Q. How do we know it is organic?
  • Under new European legislation, only food grown by a farmer or grower, or processed by a food processor, who is registered with an approved certification body and has undergone annual inspection to ensure that it meets strict organic standards may be sold as organic.
  • The soil association Symbol Scheme is approved under EC and UK legislation and is the largest and most respected organic certification body in this country.
Q. Why is organic farming better
  • Organic farming is better for the environment because it values and protects wildlife (whose diversity plays an essential role in maintaining crop and livestock health).
  • Organic farming is better for the soil because the soil and its microorganisms are nurtured as a resource for future generations.
  • Organic farming is better for farm animals because their welfare is protected.  They are free range and fed only natural foods without antibiotics, growth promoters or BST.
  • Organic farming produces better, tastier and healthier foods.
Q. What threats to human health do artificial pesticides pose?
  • Although all pesticides are tested by MAFF, many used today were approved when standards were comparatively lax.  Even current testing does not adequately investigate the long term effect of low doses or the 'cocktail' effect of mixtures of agrochemicals.  There is evidence that many illnesses may be caused by the regular intake of pesticide residues.
Q. What about artificial fertilisers ?
  • Artificial fertilisers applied to the soil leach into ground water and rivers.
  • Nitrates are a health hazard in drinking water because they can be converted into carcinogens within our bodies.
  • Phosphate fertilisers leach into rivers and lakes causing algal blooms in hot weather and killing aquatic life by starving them of oxygen.
Q.Why is organic food better for us ?
  • >Organic food is more nutritious and contains less chemical and nitrate residues - no food produces in Britain can be guaranteed completely chemical-free as ground water and the atmosphere are already heavily polluted.
  • Organic food may have higher levels of vitamins and essential trace elements such as calcium and magnesium to be so diluted in the soil that they are not taken up by the plants.
Q. Why is organic food more expensive?
  • Organic food is generally more expensive to produce than conventional food and meeting the requirements of the supermarkets for cosmetic perfection results in a greater wastage of fresh produce.
  • Distribution costs are higher for the small quantities being transported. However, the prices of organic produce are likely to fall with economies of scale as the market grows.
  • Organic livestock are free ranged on grass for most of the year under welfare codes which prohibit the intensive factory farming systems which supply so much of our cheap meat.
  • The price of organic food includes the costs of not polluting the environment with agrochemicals and destroying wildlife and habitats. These hidden costs are not reflected in the price of conventional food but still have to be paid for.
Q. Why support organic farming?
  • If we want to enjoy our countryside to keep it unpolluted and retain its beauty and diversity, we must farm organically.
  • If we want safe, healthy nutritious food we need organically produced food.
  • If we want safe healthy nutritious food, we need organically produced food.
  • If we want to reject the suffering if animals in inhumane factory farms, we must support organic livestock production.
  • If we want sustainable food production in the future, we must persuade the policy makers to support organic farming as a means of solving the many problems currently afflicting agriculture.
Q . What is the Soil Association
  • The soil Association is a membership charity whose aims are to promote organic food and farming for all the benefits they bring.  By joining, you can add your voice to the many who are concerned for the future of our food, the countryside and the Earth we will pass on to our children.
Courtesy of the soil association.