Why Organic?

For healthier people and a healthier planet!

 

What is Organic?

Organic farming is a system of agriculture which works with nature rather than against it. Certified Organic products are grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals, fertilisers, or GMOs.

By supporting organic you support a secure and better future for ourselves, our children and all life on our planet.

For Your Health

Research by done by the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) shows that consuming organic means that you can:

• Eat the best-tasting food. Many Australians who consume organic products every day do so because they believe that organic tastes best.
• Eat produce that is better for you. Organic food is more nutritious and on average organic is higher in vitamin C, mineral levels and phytonutrients – plant compounds that can be effective against cancer.
• Avoid eating up to two kilograms of food additives every year. Many food additives have been linked with symptoms such as allergic reactions, rashes, headaches, asthma, growth retardation and hyperactivity in children .
• Avoid GMOs. Independent testing of the long-term health effects of GMO foods on humans has not been carried out. The many exemptions from GE labelling laws in Australia makes it impossible to know which grocery items use GMO-derived ingredients. Certified organic foods are a great way to avoid GMOs.
• Lower the incidence of neurodevelopmental problems in children, perhaps including ADHD and autism. Abnormal neurodevelopment in children can be caused or made worse by prenatal and early life exposures to pesticides and chemicals that contaminate our food.
• Virtually eliminate dietary exposures to insecticides known to be developmental neurotoxins.
• Reduce unwanted interference by many pesticides with our sex hormones. This in turn should reduce the prevalence of erectile dysfunction, the number of people suffering from loss of sexual drive and a host of estrogen-related health problems (EXTOXNET).
• Give infants the nutrient building blocks they need for a healthy future. Ninety per cent of dairy and meat products from organic sources have been shown to increase levels of healthy fatty acids in breastmilk .
• Reduce the risk of cancer. On average organic foods contain about one-third more cancer-fighting antioxidants than comparable conventional produce.

For Our Planet

• Reduce chemical runoff and residues in drinking water, waterways and coastal areas. Runoff is the main cause of diminishing marine life, animals and plants.
• Restore soils for productive cropland. Organic farming systems are based on the principle of land and soil regeneration and best environmental practice.
• Increase the resilience of farms during drought. Organic farms have a greater resilience in times of drought. A 21-year trial showed that organic crops saw a margin of 38–196 per cent greater yield than comparable conventional crops (AJAA, 2003).
  Increase biodiversity and save disappearing native animal habitats. For decades scientists worldwide have carried out studies with the clear conclusion that organic farming significantly supports biodiversity.
• Eliminate use of growth hormones, antibiotics and genetically engineered drugs and feeds in livestock. In Australia there remain 12 antibiotics that can be used as growth promoters.
• Ensure humane treatment of animals. Scientific evidence indicates that practices such as battery hen farming, and the use of sow stalls, inflict continuous intense suffering on animals throughout their confinement leading to acute physical and behavioural problems (RSPCA).
• Organic livestock is grown in a way that conforms to natural processes of growth and development.
• Reduce landfill, which has greenhouse consequences. Composting and recycling of nutrients is a major feature of organic farming systems.
• Safeguard the integrity of food. Certified organic provides a guarantee that product has been grown, handled, packaged and distributed avoiding risk of contamination of the product to the point of sale. Full traceability is maintained along the chain.