What is Organic Farming?

What is organic farming? The short answer would be that it is farming that is done without the use of additional pesticides and without the use of any type of chemical or hormonal enhancement. The promise of organic farming means that you and your family are provided with totally natural vegetables, dairy, and meat products that have been shipped to the grocery store or Farmer's Market in the state that nature would have created them in the wild. However, there are degrees of organic and understanding these degrees helps you make right choices for you and your family.

Today's organic farming trends have hit supermarkets and small town markets with some serious gusto. In fact, some of the most incredible turn around in the farming industry is a direct result of the organic farming trend. With an increase in illness and disease, and increase in obesity and relatively oversized children, and with an increased understanding of what chemical enhancement can do to a human body, organic farming is the proven key hero in farming solutions.

When you are wandering the aisles of the grocery store and you come across the organic section, take a minute and pause. Does some of the food look different, smell different, and taste different? Some people believe that it does while others believe that it doesn't. Only you can determine whether organic farming makes a big difference in the taste, texture, size, or quality of your favorite foods. Some people swear that they can taste a more natural flavor of the food while others swear that it doesn't alter the taste at all but it feels good eating totally unenhanced foods.

However, not all organic products are unenhanced. The organic farming industry has been granted a little leeway when it comes to producing unenhanced foods. The term "organic" that appears on many of the packages that are most commonly purchased implies that the food is unenhanced with any type of chemical or hormone. That generally is not the case, however. The word "organic" can be labeled to any food that meets a 75% standard of organic ingredients. There are specific chemicals and hormones that can never be added in any quantity to organic foods but the list is rather small and somewhat fluid.

Anything in your grocery store or Farmer's Market that has been labeled as 100% organic is actually between 98 and 99% organic. But this is still a far cry from the 75% consumers are receiving when it comes to their organic products. The farming techniques that are used almost always require at least a small amount of mostly natural pesticides, otherwise the insects will happily enjoy the organic foods that were originally meant for you. Simply knowing the difference between organic and 100% organic will help you make better choices for your family based on your needs. And the next time your kids get interested in their food and want to know what is organic farming, you'll have an industry secret to share with them.

NY Organic Farmers Cultivate Food Safety - Food Safety News

Food Safety News

NY Organic Farmers Cultivate Food Safety Food Safety News by Amy Halloran | Feb 04, 2012 At the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York's annual winter conference in Saratoga Springs, about 40 farmers and farm workers packed a small conference room for a workshop on food safety.

ESCONDIDO: Organic farmers, local residents hear plan to fight gnats - North County Times

ESCONDIDO: Organic farmers, local residents hear plan to fight gnats North County Times San Diego County Department of Environmental Health officials proposed an ordinance that would give them power to force the owners of local organic farms ---- where the 1/16-inch insects are believed to be breeding ---- to do whatever they must to ... and more »

Organic Farmers Share Tips at Conference - KMVT

KMVT	Organic Farmers Share Tips at Conference KMVT "We will be having farmers discussing a variety of topics, as well as, some of our agency people and the University of Idaho researchers who are all working on organic farming issues," said Jennifer Miller, Northwest Center for Alternatives to ...

Organic Farmers Sue Agribusiness Giant - Voice of America

In These Times

Organic Farmers Sue Agribusiness Giant Voice of America January 31, 2012 Organic Farmers Sue Agribusiness Giant Adam Phillips | New York New York City is not a place one normally expects to see farmers. But on Tuesday, Manhattan's Foley Square was a gathering place for scores of farmers and their supporters ... Organic farmers take on Monsanto in Manhattan courtroomExaminer.com Seed Sovereignty: Whoever Controls the Seed, Controls FoodLocally Grown News all 15 news articles »

Is organic farming more profitable? - Atlantic Farm Focus

Is organic farming more profitable? Atlantic Farm Focus Organic farming, in general, is more profitable than conventional farming. This is the conclusion of a paper published by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization in 2009. The author, Noémi Nemes, examined the results of more than fifty studies that ... and more »