Global InformationOrganic farming information
 | The article's lead section may need to be rewritten. (May 2023) |
| Agriculture |
|---|
 |
 Agriculture portal |
Organic farming, also known as ecological farming or biological farming,[1][2][3][4][5] 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. 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, with over half of that total in Australia.[6] 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.[7] For instance, naturally-occurring pesticides such as pyrethrin are permitted, while synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are generally prohibited. Synthetic substances that are allowed include, for example, copper sulfate, elemental sulfur, and veterinary drugs. Genetically modified organisms, nanomaterials, human sewage sludge, plant growth regulators, hormones, and antibiotic use in livestock husbandry are prohibited.[8][9] Organic farming advocates claim advantages in sustainability,[10][11] openness, self-sufficiency, autonomy and independence,[11] health, food security, and food safety.
Organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by transnational organizations (as European Union) and many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella organization for organic farming organizations established in 1972.[12] 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".[13][14][15][16]
Since 1990, the market for organic food and other products has grown rapidly, reaching $63 billion worldwide in 2012.[17]: 25 This demand has driven a similar increase in organically managed farmland that grew from 2001 to 2011 at a compounding rate of 8.9% per year.[18]
As of 2022, approximately 96,000,000 hectares (240,000,000 acres) worldwide were farmed organically, representing approximately 2% of total world farmland.[19]
Organic farming can be beneficial on biodiversity and environmental protection at local level. However, 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 yields does not include dry lands.[20] Food waste of industrial agriculture must be taken into account.
- ^ Labelling, article 30 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2024 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007.
- ^ "History of Organic Farming". biocyclopedia.com. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
Various types and methods of organic agriculture have been developed in the Northern Hemisphere, such as the biological-organic and biodynamic method
- ^ "Biological Farming/Ecological Farming". USDA National Agricultural Library. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
the term biological often refers to organic farming, whereas the term ecological refers to organic plus environmental considerations such as on-farm wildlife management
- ^ "Organic farming". Lexicon Wein‑Plus. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
A form of production (also organic farming, ecological farming, ecological-biological farming, ecological agriculture, alternative agriculture) for the production of food and other agricultural products
- ^ "Clean & Organic Agricultural Products" (PDF). RIRDC. October 2000. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
Biological farming and 'bio' products are terms often used in European countries as equivalent to organic farming. [...] Ecological farming and 'eco' products are terms also used in European countries as equivalent to organic farming.
- ^ Paull, John (2019). "Organic Agriculture in Australia: Attaining the Global Majority (51%)". Journal of Environment Protection and Sustainable Development – via Academia.edu.
- ^ McEvoy, Miles (27 October 2020). "Organic 101: Allowed and Prohibited Substances". USDA. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ Paull, John (2011) "Nanomaterials in food and agriculture: The big issue of small matter for organic food and farming", Proceedings of the Third Scientific Conference of ISOFAR (International Society of Organic Agriculture Research), 28 September – 1 October, Namyangju, Korea., 2:96-99
- ^ "USDA List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances in Organic Agriculture". USDA List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances in Organic Agriculture. USDA. 4 April 2016. Archived from the original on 28 December 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
- ^ Arsenault, Chris. "Only 60 Years of Farming Left If Soil Degradation Continues". Scientific American. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
- ^ a b Coleman, Eliot (1995), The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener (2nd ed.), Chelsea Green Publishing Company, pp. 65, 108, ISBN 978-0930031756.
- ^ Paull, John "From France to the World: The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)", Journal of Social Research & Policy, 2010, 1(2):93-102.
- ^ Danielle Treadwell, Jim Riddle, Mary Barbercheck, Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, Ed Zaborski, Cooperative Extension System, What is organic farming? Archived 3 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ H. Martin, '’Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Introduction to Organic Farming, ISSN 1198-712X
- ^ Dale Rhoads, Purdue Extension Service, What is organic farming? Archived 10 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Gold, Mary. "What is organic production?". National Agricultural Library. USDA. Archived from the original on 7 August 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ^ Helga Willer, Julia Lernoud and Robert Home The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics & Emerging Trends 2013, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM, 2013).
- ^ Paull, John (2011) "The Uptake of Organic Agriculture: A Decade of Worldwide Development", Journal of Social and Development Sciences, 2 (3), pp. 111-120.
- ^ "The World of Organic Agriculture - Statistics & Emerging Trends 2024" (PDF). Research Institute of Organic Agriculture and IFOAM - Organics International. p. 12. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ "Scientists urge EU to allow the use of novel breeding techniques and modern biotechnology in organic farming". Wageningen Plant Research. 23 April 2021.