Right now I am working on a post about Genetically Modified Organisms. It is taking me a while because I want to make sure I have all the facts and sources to understand what is happening fully. So far I am taking the stance against GMOs and will continue to try to buy products that are organic and labeled non-GMO. I will talk about this in a later post, but want to get you all thinking about this.
In doing this research I found a great article on The Atlantic that talks about how organic farms, NOT GMOs will save the world and end starvation. Organic farms, not monocultures, are the answer to our current food and health situation. While there is not one uniform definition to define organic farms, most hold the same attributes. Organic farms are farms that do not use chemical pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics or chemical fertilizers. They use fresh animal manure instead. Organic farms use natural ways to produce food including crop rotation, and natural ways to fend off insects and weeds. Or, just leaving alone weeds and insects that do not harm crops. The USDA writes, “The principal guidelines for organic production are to use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and that integrate the parts of the farming system into an ecological whole. Organic agriculture practices cannot ensure that products are completely free of residues; however, methods are used to minimize pollution from air, soil and water. Organic food handlers, processors and retailers adhere to standards that maintain the integrity of organic agricultural products. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people.” Basically organic farms use natural means to grow foods. They try to limit their carbon footprint and try their best to limit pollution and eliminate chemicals.
Barry Estabrook is the author of the article, Organic Can Feed the World, which is in The Atlantic and cites several studies that proves the stance that organic farming is better than conventional farming. The first study cited is by researchers at the University of Michigan. They did a study that included organic and conventional farms in third world countries and found that organic farming could double or triple yields. Organic farms either did the same or better as conventional farming. Conventional farming includes more use of machines, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides and antibiotics. This is very bad for the environment and for the health of consumers. Science Daily reports, “…fertilizer runoff from conventional agriculture is the chief culprit in creating dead zones—low oxygen areas where marine life cannot survive… conventional farming also causes soil erosion, greenhouse gas emission, increased pest resistance and loss of biodiversity” (2007). The researchers at the University of Michigan found organic methods to be more environmentally friendly and healthier for those consuming the foods. Organic in this study included “…practices referred to as sustainable or ecological; that utilize non-synthetic nutrient cycling processes; that exclude or rarely use synthetic pesticides; and sustain or regenerate the soil quality” (2007). The researchers talked about how many farmers in developing countries do not have access to fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides anyways; therefore organic farming is the best option. The University researchers then mention that corporations who benefit because of conventional farming, like Monsanto, invest in advertising to make consumers think conventional farming is not harmful and is the only way to save the world. They want to make the public believe GMOs are the only way to feed the world. This study proves that this is not true.
Another study that The Atlantic cites is one conducted by The United Nations, Human Rights Council. They talk about why agriculture needs to revert back to being sustainable. They write (and I LOVE this quote), “agriculture must not compromise its ability to satisfy future needs. The loss of biodiversity, unsustainable use of water, and pollution of soils and water are issues which compromise the continuing ability for natural resources to support agriculture. Climate change, which translates in more frequent and extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods and less predictable rainfall, is already having a severe impact on the ability of certain regions and communities to feed themselves. It is also destabilizing markets. The change in average temperatures is threatening the ability of entire regions, particularly those living from rain-fed agriculture, to maintain actual levels of agricultural production. Less fresh water will be available for agricultural production, and the rise in sea level is already causing the salinization of water in certain coastal areas, making water sources improper for irrigation purposes. By 2080, 600 million additional people could be at risk of hunger, as a direct result of climate change. In Sub-Saharan Africa, arid and semi-arid areas are projected to increase by 60 million to 90 million hectares, while in Southern Africa, it is estimated that yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50 per cent between 2000 and 2020.”
Basically, the path we are on now, using un-sustainable means of producing food, is detrimental the the future of the human race. We cannot feed the world at the rate we are going. We cannot live healthy, happy lives at the rate we are going because we are polluting our earth and increasing climate change. Organic farms are the solution. They do not harm the environment and do produce healthy foods for us to consume. They lessen our dependence on oil because they decrease the amount of machinery used, and if consumed locally, they reduce the amount of trucks and airplanes delivering food to different parts of the country and world.
The UN study then goes on to talk about agroecology in which they define as, “The core principles of agroecology include recycling nutrients and energy on the farm, rather than introducing external inputs; integrating crops and livestock; diversifying species and genetic resources in agroecosystems over time and space; and focusing on interactions and productivity across the agricultural system, rather than focusing on individual species.” This type of farming is sustainable, healthy and attainable for farmers of every variety. Farmers do not have to invest in pricey chemicals fertilizers, they can sell to local communities when big corporations get out of the way and they can use their own knowledge and trial and error without having to rely on machinery.
This is proven to work. Still quoting the UN, and I know this is a long quote but it adequately describes the countries who have benefited from organic farming. “Jules Pretty et al. compared the impacts of 286 recent sustainable agriculture projects in 57 poor countries covering 37 million hectares (3 per cent of the cultivated area in developing countries). They found that such interventions increased productivity on 12.6 millions farms, with an average crop increase of 79 per cent, while improving the supply of critical environmental services. Disaggregated data from this research showed that average food production per household rose by 1.7 tonnes per year (up by 73 per cent) for 4.42 million small farmers growing cereals and roots on 3.6 million hectares, and that increase in food production was 17 tonnes per year (up 150 per cent) for 146,000 farmers on 542,000 hectares cultivating roots (potato, sweet potato, cassava). After UNCTAD and UNEP reanalyzed the database to produce a summary of the impacts in Africa, it was found that the average crop yield increase was even higher for these projects than the global average of 79 per cent at 116 per cent increase for all African projects and 128 per cent increase for projects in East Africa.” This is proof, that organic farms can and will work. This is especially true in countries that have been starving for many years. They go on to write, “Research commissioned by the Foresight Global Food and Farming Futures project of the UK Government reviewed 40 projects in 20 African countries where sustainable intensification was developed during the 2000s.” They later report that on average, crop yields doubled with these techniques. Why would we continue to promote conventional farming when it is obviously not the most sustainable way?
In 2008, the Rodale Institute cited 50 different scientific studies proving that organic farms can save the world. They wrote that yields would increase, soil would improve and hold more water, farmers would save money from not having to buy pesticides and fertilizers, farms would use 20-50 percent less energy depending on the practices, increase nutrient concentration and decrease up to 40 percent of global CO2 emissions.
Finally, Estabrook writes that he read, “..98 papers published in the previous eight years addressing the question of whether organic could feed the world. Every one of the papers showed that organic farming had that potential. Not one argued otherwise.” Organic farming works. It is sustainable, healthy and affordable. Farmers should be given subsidies to farm organically, NOT to use GMOs and monocultures. The government needs to address what is currently going on in our agriculture system. When one looks at all of the research, we can see that organic farms are more beneficial in every way. Conventional farms clearly are not.
Again, I urge readers to vote with their dollar. Try to buy organic foods. If I can buy organic food as a college student working part-time as a custodian, most everyone else can afford it to. I hear so many people complaining about the price of organic food. This is because they are so used to buying unsustainable food made and produced with chemicals and engery/oil intensive practices which lowers the cost monetarily. But, how many people pay the doctor for their diabetes, asthma and cancer treatments? How many of us are effected by the countries dependence on oil? There are more costly consequences to foods produced by unsustainable farms. I will admit that sometimes I honestly cannot afford to go to the store and buy every single thing organic. So, I do understand the dilemma many people face. I do not however, sympathize with people who say they cannot buy organic at all. This is not true. If I can afford my organic peanut butter that is $1.00 more than regular peanut butter, you can to. It is a matter of priorities, managing finances and realizing the actual cost of your food. Instead of buying a six pack of Mountain Dew, buy some organic apples and bread. Your body will be healthier, and your money will be supporting farmers who are providing us with healthy, sustainable foods. There needs to be a bigger demand from consumers in order to make a difference. Also, pay attention to politicians who support organic farmers. We all need to work together to make organic farming the norm.
Let me know what you think about organic farms and products. What are your favorites? I love Nature’s Path, Trader Joes, Woodstock Farms and Annie’s. I also really want to do a post on retraining your palate because I have found that after eating mostly organic, I can taste the chemicals in other products. I no longer like the taste of Jif peanut butter and I appreciate the taste of natural, organic foods. Anyway, let me know what you think!
Notable Articles:
http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/files/GreenRevUP.pdf
http://www.srfood.org/images/stories/pdf/officialreports/20110308_a-hrc-16-49_agroecology_en.pdf
http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/ditcted200715_en.pdf
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070711134523.htm