What is Organic and Why is it Important?
The organic movement began with a single ethos: to restore farming to its origins—that is, before the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and genetic modification. Today organic products are prized in the United States and worldwide because they are produced just as they are in nature—sustainably, using practices that are in harmony with the environment. Organic farmers are committed to preserving biodiversity, sustaining all species of animals and plants in a given area that occupy essential places in the production chain.
Organic food is:
- Pesticide-free
- Antibiotic- and hormone-free
- Minimally processed
- Free of preservatives and artificial flavorings
- Full of flavor and healthy characteristics
The National Organic Standards Board, which advises the USDA and regulates organic agriculture, defines organic as "an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony."
Teaching our children about organic farming gives them an appreciation for the traditions, cultivation practices and benefits of sustainable agriculture.
