Organic food is defined as, “foods that are grown without synthetic pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, modern genetic engineering techniques (including genetically modified crops), chemical fertilizers, or sewer sludge.” (Winter, Davies, 2006). Farmers use crop rotation, tillage, cultivation practices, cover crops, and natural products in order to keep their farms organic. However, organic foods can use a synthetic material, which is defined as a substance that is formulated or manufactured by processes that can chemically change properties extracted from a naturally occurring plant, animal, or mineral source as long as it has been approved by the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (Winter, Davis, 2006). If an organic
…show more content…
Rodale. Rodale first provided information on non-chemical farming methods that in return influenced organic production methods as well. Even though organic farming has been around much earlier, modern organic farming first started to take off in the 1940’s. Much of today’s organic farming style is integrated from farming styles that are used in India. A scientist by the name of Sir Albert Howard who Rodale modeled a lot of his work after, went to India to observe their techniques and reported back with ideas of having green manure and waist to soil, and prompted the idea of working with nature by using deep rooted crops to draw up nutrients from the soil (SARE, 2012). About thirty years later in the 1970s, an increase in environmental awareness exploded. But unfortunately, the organic farming rules and regulations were far from perfect and complete still. Even though there was a conscience among the philosophical approach, there was no one-way of doing things. This meant that each state was left to decide what they were going to classify as “organic”. Shortly after, another movement broke out to develop a national organic standard. This standard would make trading with states possible, now that each state did not have different standards and meanings for “organic” foods. Beginning in 1990, congressed passed the Organic Food Production Act (OFPA) that mandated the United States Department …show more content…
Greg Bowman of the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania states that, “farmers may lose money during the transition of solely growing organic crops, but this process will see a rise in their premium once the transition is over” (Faber, 2016). All farmers typically experience a period of a shortage in production due to demand, but additional factors that hurt farmers according to Peter Miller of Organic Valley, is an independent cooperative of organic farmers, is trying to maintain a successful business in farming (whether it’s before, during, or after transition period) by having to learn the details of proper organic farming (Faber, 2016). Aside from paying others businesses in order to help out struggling farmers, they also spend a lot of money on advice from extension agents, soil and water conservation districts, and crop consultants (Faber, 2016). One would think that all of this business would be beneficial for farmers, but because of the many difficulties they face from the beginning of the transition to actually growing organic crops, it progressively leads to a
Rodale. Rodale first provided information on non-chemical farming methods that in return influenced organic production methods as well. Even though organic farming has been around much earlier, modern organic farming first started to take off in the 1940’s. Much of today’s organic farming style is integrated from farming styles that are used in India. A scientist by the name of Sir Albert Howard who Rodale modeled a lot of his work after, went to India to observe their techniques and reported back with ideas of having green manure and waist to soil, and prompted the idea of working with nature by using deep rooted crops to draw up nutrients from the soil (SARE, 2012). About thirty years later in the 1970s, an increase in environmental awareness exploded. But unfortunately, the organic farming rules and regulations were far from perfect and complete still. Even though there was a conscience among the philosophical approach, there was no one-way of doing things. This meant that each state was left to decide what they were going to classify as “organic”. Shortly after, another movement broke out to develop a national organic standard. This standard would make trading with states possible, now that each state did not have different standards and meanings for “organic” foods. Beginning in 1990, congressed passed the Organic Food Production Act (OFPA) that mandated the United States Department …show more content…
Greg Bowman of the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania states that, “farmers may lose money during the transition of solely growing organic crops, but this process will see a rise in their premium once the transition is over” (Faber, 2016). All farmers typically experience a period of a shortage in production due to demand, but additional factors that hurt farmers according to Peter Miller of Organic Valley, is an independent cooperative of organic farmers, is trying to maintain a successful business in farming (whether it’s before, during, or after transition period) by having to learn the details of proper organic farming (Faber, 2016). Aside from paying others businesses in order to help out struggling farmers, they also spend a lot of money on advice from extension agents, soil and water conservation districts, and crop consultants (Faber, 2016). One would think that all of this business would be beneficial for farmers, but because of the many difficulties they face from the beginning of the transition to actually growing organic crops, it progressively leads to a