| How to go organic | | | | where possible using herbal medicine, and |
| Organic sales topped £1 billion in the UK last | | | | antibiotics are only used if there is no other option. |
| year, with three out of four shoppers buying | | | | Feeding animals naturally also means higher safety |
| some organic products in stores. If a product | | | | for humans who eat them too. One of the most |
| carries an organic seal, and says "certified | | | | fascinating facts about certified organic farming is |
| organic", you can be assured that by law, it has | | | | that there has never been one case of mad cow |
| been vetted to be what it says it is, and is | | | | disease in any cow that was born and raised on a |
| subject to annual audit and inspection. Simply put, | | | | certified organic farm. |
| certified organic is always best - for earth, animals | | | | It is not just farm animals that benefit from |
| and you! | | | | organic farming. Many forms of wildlife are near |
| Many think of organic farming as something new, | | | | extinction (including the UK's own little dormouse), |
| but it was the only farming around before the | | | | and many species of birds (including skylarks, |
| 1940s. Before this time, all farming was organic. | | | | lapwings and grey partridges), butterflies, bats and |
| Allergies have also increased, as people veer | | | | bees have been found to be far more abundant |
| away from natural foods. Although you need to | | | | on organic farms. This obviously also benefits |
| respect any allergies, note that organic sunflower | | | | organic farmers, as all these creatures act as |
| seeds etc are less likely to be coated in almond | | | | natural predators. Avoiding chemical spray also |
| flavouring - as organic laws are more stringent. | | | | benefits all forms of animal (and human!) life. |
| Organic farming does cost a little more for a | | | | About half of our butterflies and a third of our |
| farmer, which is why organic produce costs more, | | | | farmland birds have declined in the last 30 years |
| but this is a small price to pay for a healthy earth | | | | or so, with half of all European-mainland birds also |
| and (if you eat animal foods), a more | | | | in decline. Organic farming helps bring them back, |
| compassionate food market. | | | | along with supporting an abundance of rare and |
| If you drink milk, buying organic only costs around | | | | blossoming wildflowers. Our own little endangered |
| 14p more (amounting to £35 over a year | | | | dormice also benefit from the "wildlife corridors" |
| for the average family), and just this little action | | | | created on organic farms. |
| allows baby male calves to stay with their | | | | The standards of certified organic farming are so |
| mothers for much longer, and when they are | | | | stringent, that if a product carries this label, you |
| eventually removed from their mothers, at least | | | | can forget all the other confusing labels (like |
| they don't get transported abroad to live in veal | | | | free-range, outdoor-raised, grass-fed etc). By |
| crates. | | | | default, an animal food product that is certified |
| So you see, just a little action of spending 14p | | | | organic will be all of these things. Organic animals |
| more on your daily pinta can go a long way to | | | | also get to sleep on solid floors (with bedding) |
| helping animal welfare. | | | | inside too, an important difference from factory |
| Why organic is better for the earth | | | | farming. |
| Everyone has heard of global warming, and aside | | | | If you are a lacto-ovo vegetarian (you eat dairy |
| from revving our car engines and methane gas | | | | and egg products), by looking for certified organic |
| emissions from over-bred factory-farmed animals, | | | | products, you can be assured that the animals |
| one of the biggest causes is from pesticides in | | | | producing these goods at least were treated |
| non-organic foods, so by buying organic, you help | | | | better, something that most ethical vegetarians |
| the polar bears (whose ice is melting due to the | | | | would be much happier about. |
| planet heating up). Going organic is far more | | | | Why organic food is good for us! |
| helpful to the planet - than turning off your lights! | | | | Avoiding pesticides is very important, especially |
| An organic farmer sows his plants and then adds | | | | for parents, as studies show that some can be |
| natural nitrogen (rather than artificial versions that | | | | absorbed into our bloodstream (buy organic baby |
| run into our water supplies - that we have to pay | | | | foods - especially as some pesticides have been |
| the tax bills for removal), and this natural nitrogen | | | | linked to fertility issues). Avoiding GM ingredients is |
| is made from - you've guessed it - good old | | | | also wise, and the good news is that in certified |
| horse manure! | | | | organic foods, both are banned! |
| When the harvest is over, farmers use a process | | | | Other ingredients that are banned in certified |
| called "crop rotation", which means the planting of | | | | organic foods are hydrogenated vegetable oil (not |
| different plants on the same land, which causes | | | | friendly to your heart) and a good additive called |
| the land and soil to remain healthy, rather than | | | | monosodium glutamate. According to Joel |
| becoming barren. This "soil erosion" is what has | | | | Fuhrman MD (one of the USA's top nutritional |
| happened in many parts of desert Africa due to | | | | doctors), if you see a product with even the |
| over-farming (lots of African plains used to be | | | | tiniest amount of hydrogenated vegetable oil in |
| green, lush and fertile land). It has been proven | | | | the ingredients, you should "treat it as poison, and |
| that organic soil has around 85% more nutrients | | | | throw it in the trash!" The artificial sweetener |
| than any other land. | | | | aspartame is also banned in certified organic |
| Another way that organic farmers help the soil is | | | | foods. |
| by sowing a plant called clover, as this puts nitrate | | | | It has been proven that certified organic foods |
| back into the soil, without any artificial additives. | | | | contain less water (so have more nutrition), and |
| Why organic food helps animal welfare | | | | also contain higher vitamin C and the minerals |
| Certified organic farming treats animal welfare | | | | calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium. Organic |
| very seriously, and apart from shorter transport | | | | foods also have more antioxidants (now known |
| times to slaughter (if animals are used for meat), | | | | to be as - or more - important than vitamins and |
| they are also fed proper grass and organic grains, | | | | minerals). Researchers in California found that |
| and are allowed to roam free in their natural | | | | organic tomato ketchup had more lycopene (an |
| environments (and brought inside to proper | | | | anti-cancer ingredient) than normal tomato |
| housing of straw bedding) in winter time. | | | | ketchup! |
| If an animal becomes ill, it is treated naturally | | | | |