- "Organic farming, also known as ecological farming or biological farming, is an agricultural system that uses fertilizers of organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and bone meal and places emphasis on techniques such as crop rotation and companion planting."
Understand the principles and definitions of organic agriculture, including its distinct characteristics and importance in modern agriculture and the environment.
Soil Health: Understanding how healthy soil supports organic agriculture and the methods of maintaining soil health using organic practices.
Certification and Labeling: Learning about the certification process and labeling requirements for organic farms and products.
Pest Management: Understanding the different techniques used in organic pest management, such as crop rotation, companion planting, and biological control.
Crop Diversity and Rotation: Learning the benefits of crop diversity and rotation in organic agriculture, including soil health, pest management, and nutrient cycling.
Organic Livestock Production: Understanding the requirements for organic livestock production, including animal welfare, feed quality, and grazing practices.
Organic Seed Production: Knowing the importance of organic seed production and the requirements for organic seed production certification.
Composting and Nutrient Management: Learning about the importance of nutrient management and how composting can improve soil health, reduce waste, and provide nutrients for crops.
Marketing and Market Trends: Understanding the current market trends and the strategies for selling organic products to consumers.
Organic Processing and Supply Chain: Understanding the supply chain for organic products, including organic processing standards, transportation, and storage.
Biodynamic Agriculture: Learning about the principles and practices of biodynamic farming and the benefits of using biodynamic methods in organic agriculture.
- "It originated early in the 20th century in reaction to rapidly changing farming practices."
- "Certified organic agriculture accounts for 70 million hectares (170 million acres) globally."
- "Over half of that total [70 million hectares] is in Australia."
- "Biological pest control, mixed cropping, and the fostering of insect predators are encouraged."
- "Organic standards are designed to allow the use of naturally-occurring substances while prohibiting or strictly limiting synthetic substances."
- "For instance, naturally-occurring pesticides such as pyrethrin are permitted."
- "Synthetic substances that are allowed include, for example, copper sulfate, elemental sulfur, and ivermectin."
- "Genetically modified organisms, nanomaterials, human sewage sludge, plant growth regulators, hormones, and antibiotic use in livestock husbandry are prohibited."
- "Organic farming advocates claim advantages in sustainability, openness, self-sufficiency, autonomy and independence, health, food security, and food safety."
- "Organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by transnational organizations and many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)."
- "reaching $63 billion worldwide in 2012."
- "As of 2020, approximately 75,000,000 hectares (190,000,000 acres) worldwide were farmed organically."
- "Organic farming can be beneficial on biodiversity and environmental protection at the local level."
- "Because organic farming has sometimes lower yields compared to intensive farming, additional agricultural land is needed elsewhere in the world, which means that natural and forest land has to be converted into agricultural land."
- "This can cause loss of biodiversity and negative climate effects that sometimes outweigh the local environmental gains achieved."
- "This lower yield does not include dry lands."
- "Food waste of industrial agriculture must be taken into account."
- "Organic agriculture can be defined as 'an integrated farming system that strives for sustainability, the enhancement of soil fertility and biological diversity while, with rare exceptions, prohibiting synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, and growth hormones'."
- "Organically managed farmland that grew from 2001 to 2011 at a compounding rate of 8.9% per year."