The organic food is defined differently
in different jurisdictions, in general organic farming responds to
site-specific farming and crop conditions by integrating cultural, biological,
and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological
balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers are not allowed,
although certain organically approved pesticides may be used under limited
conditions. In general, organic foods are also not processed using irradiation,
industrial solvents, or chemical food
additives.
Along all history agriculture can be described as having
been organic, justo n 20th century a lot of new chemicals has been introduced
to the food supply. On 1940 the organic movement arose in response to this
industrialization of the agricultura, was the green revolution.
On 1939, was the first time that the
conception of agricultural methods were described as organic, with the term of
“farm as organic” as a ecologically balance approach to farming, in contrast to
what at this time was calling as “chemical farming”.
The term of “organic” scientifically
refer to a class of molecules that contain carbon, so is
inappropriate when applied to farming, but this is completely widespread.
Was on 2009 with marketing "Know
your farmer, know your food" became the motto of a new and more famouse initiative
instituted by the USDA.
About the compliance of the organic
targets, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan and many other countries
require producers to obtainspecial certification
With respect to chemical differences in
the composition of organically grown food compared with conventionally grown
food, studies have examined differences innutrients, antinutrients,
and pesticide residues.
Requirements of organic products certification
vary from country to
country, but FAO defines organic products as:
“There are many explanations and
definitions for organic agriculture but all converge to state that it is a
system that relies on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural
inputs. It is a system that begins to consider potential environmental and social
impacts by eliminating the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and
breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation. These are replaced with
site-specific management practices that maintain and increase long-term soil
fertility and prevent pest and diseases.
"Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It emphasises the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. This is accomplished by using, where possible, agronomic, biological, and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfil any specific function within the system." (FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, 1999).”
"Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It emphasises the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. This is accomplished by using, where possible, agronomic, biological, and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfil any specific function within the system." (FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, 1999).”
The most popular claim about organic
food is about pesticide residues. These concerns are
driven by the facts that acute, massive exposure to pesticides can cause
significant adverse health effects; food
products have occasionally been contaminated with pesticides, which can result
in acute toxicity; and most, if not all,
commercially purchased food contains trace amounts of agricultural pesticides.
Environmental awareness as well as the need to know
exactly what we eat is making society a part of this organic culture that will
have to be implemented by necessity.