When many consumers hear about organic farming they may question what is organic food and why does it cost so much. They may consider the typically higher cost and determine the extra expense is not worth the benefits they perceive that is available with eating organic products. However, when looking at the benefits of using only what is organic food you have to look beyond the rice cakes and organic vegetables and consider the use of organic products to be a lifestyle change as well as a health and environmental advantage.
Essentially, organic food can be determined as any food product that is grown in organically-certified land without any chemical treatments, either in the form of fertilizers or pesticides. All substances put on the ground or the plants must come from a natural source and there can be no chemical additives, even accidental ones.Even though the yield of a field may be reduced due to a lack of chemical fertilizer use, or that the crop has a higher price due to a low supply, it is important that we are assured that what is grown is truly organic food.
For many years, growers have used chemically enhanced fertilizers and pesticides because they were cheap and greatly improved their crop growth. Pesticides were used to keep many insect intruders at bay without regard for what is organic food and how these chemicals leached into the ground and surrounding water supplies.
Keeping Mother Nature Healthy
Prior to the development of chemical products to help provide the world’s food supplies, farmers and other food producers had to rely on the natural products available, without any notion at all about what is organic food and why it is good for them. After many years of using these chemicals, people are understanding why they need to use less of them not only for their health but also for the health of the planet.
Consider an untouched forest in which leaves fall to the ground and slowly degrade into natural fertilizer to help the growth of other trees. Natural predators keep insect pests from destroying the new growths and without any interference, the growth continues. This could be a good picture at what is organic food and how the cycle of returning everything to the Earth can help provide healthier food as well as a healthier planet.
