Organic farms do not use pesticides or herbicides.
An organic farm is a farm that does not use chemicals to treat pests, remove weeds from the area, or as fertilizer. Organic farming may have different definitions for different people. The international organization IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement) is an umbrella organization that puts forward suggestions that many countries use when considering what they consider to be an organic farm.
Animals raised on an organic farm are usually not given unnecessary antibiotics.
The fundamental principle of organic agriculture is to improve and improve the health of the soil. Healthy soil produces crops that are less likely to develop disease and better able to withstand stress. Organic farmers improve the soil through crop rotation, growing cover crops, composting, and mulching. They do not use chemical fertilizers, but can use processed natural fertilizers such as seed meal.
In the United States, organic seeds cannot be genetically modified.
While conventional farming relies heavily on chemical treatments and sprays, organic farming takes a different approach to pests. On an organic farm, a certain amount of pest damage is tolerated. Beneficial organisms and natural predators can be released on the farm. Crop rotation prevents insects such as the potato beetle, which have a favorite food source, from developing a significant population.
On an organic farm, a certain amount of pest damage is tolerated.
Pests are also controlled with row covers and nets. One of the most important ways for an organic farm to have a successful harvest is to grow plants that are designed to grow well in the area. Growing plants that are not adapted to the climate stresses them out and makes them much more susceptible to damage from pests.
An organic farm also treats weeds without chemicals. The oldest and most effective way to treat weeds is manually. While this might work on a smaller farm, most organic farms combat weeds by planting cover crops and mulch around the plants. One technique used to increase nutrients in the soil and keep weeds to a minimum is to plant nutrient-rich cover crops in the aisles between the plants the farmer hopes to harvest.
Only organic fertilizers can be used on an organic farm.
An example of this is planting alfalfa, a grass that sends nitrogen into the soil, between rows of corn. During the growing season, corn and alfalfa do not compete with each other for nutrients. Alfalfa also prevents weed seeds from taking hold in the soil. At the end of the season, the corn is harvested and the alfalfa is planted in the ground. Once in the ground, it breaks down, improving the quality of the soil for next year’s planting.
Organic farms are often more labor intensive than conventional farms, but offer intangible benefits such as reduced amount of water needed, reduced groundwater pollution from pesticide runoff, and reduced soil erosion.