Organic farming

Michael is in a grocery shop. He wants to buy apples but can't decide between the two kinds the shop is offering. They seem very similar, but one kind of apple is more expensive than the other. That's strange! When Michael looks closer, he notices the more expensive apples have "Organic" written on the label.

What does that mean? Let’s visit Anna, a farmer in Poland who has grown these organic apples in her orchard. She has decided to grow her apples differently to the way it’s done on big industrial farms. For example, Anna doesn’t use synthetic fertiliser to help the trees grow. Instead, she collects leaves and other organic waste in a pile and lets it decompose.

This creates compost, which contains a lot of nutrients, and is a great natural fertiliser! Another example of natural fertiliser Anna uses, is animal droppings obtained from the few goats she keeps on her farm. This is manure. Anna doesn’t spray the apple trees with substances that kill pests and weeds. She relies on other methods.

For instance, she grows apple varieties that are naturally resistant to pests, and she weeds by hand. This way of farming, which uses natural fertilisers, and avoids the use of pesticides, is organic farming. Apples are just one example of produce grown organically. All kinds of crops and animal products can be produced by organic farming, all over the world. If a farmer wants to sell their farm produce labelled as “organic”, they must use these organic methods and follow rules and regulations.

If they do, the farm receives a certificate proving their produce is organic. Different countries might have slightly different criteria for what qualifies as “organic”. For example, in some countries organic farmers can’t use any pesticides at all. In other countries certain types of natural – or even chemical – pesticides are allowed in organic farming. Is organic farming better than other types of farming?

There are different opinions. Many people agree that organic farming is good for the environment. Compost and manure release nutrients to the ground slower than synthetic fertilisers, so they can be better absorbed by the plants. This prevents chemical runoff that could pollute water and soil. Toxic chemicals used in conventional farming can be harmful to people who work on farms.

Chemicals also leave residues in food, which we later eat. Pesticides often kill other organisms than pests, for example bees and other pollinators. Organic farming doesn’t usually use toxic chemicals, so it is healthier for people, and safer for other organisms. There is also less waste in organic farming, because produce that can’t be sold can be fed to the animals or composted and used to help crops grow. There are, however, problems with organic farming too.

Some aspects of running an organic farm can be cheaper, because farmers don’t need to buy expensive pesticides and fertilizers, but organic farming takes up more land, requires more labour and often more time to grow food, as compared to conventional industrial farms. This, in turn, often increases the cost for the organic farmer, and might have some negative consequences for the environment too. Organic farming often requires more water to produce food. Organic foods are not treated with chemicals that would make them last longer, so they spoil faster. All these factors often make organic food less available and often more expensive than conventional food.

Knowing what organic means, Michael can now make a choice as to which apples to buy.