Every time, I always wish I had more information so I could definitely improve my argument. The USDA Study Team on Organic Farming defines the term as, “a production system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetically compounded fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, and livestock feed additives.”. Some background. The organic-inorganic debate isn’t and shouldn’t be a black or white issue. The essential difference between organic and conventional farming is that conventional farming relies on chemical intervention to fight pests and weeds and provide plant nutrition. For example, instead of using chemical pesticides to minimize losses due to insects, organic farmers will try to develop biological diversity in the field to make it unlivable for pest organisms. With that said, costs associated with organic farming tend to be higher. Being a vegetarian is really a difficult task nowdays :p . Also, since conventional methods generally produce higher yield, farmers tend to end up with more sales and higher profits. http://www.monsanto.com/improvingagriculture/pages/organic-and-conventional-agriculture.aspx, https://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/organic-productionorganic-food-information-access-tools, http://healthresearchfunding.org/6-pros-and-cons-of-conventional-farming/. Only after complying will they be allowed to sell food labeled as organic. The difference between organic and conventional. All of these things are necessary to feed the ever growing population. Welcome. Thanks for reading! This explains why organic products are more expensive and less accessible than conventional produce. Now that we use technology to change the genome doesn’t make the outcome any different. And that many people don’t have all the facts. On the other hand, conventional farming has several advantages over organic farming. People have been genetically modifying plants in one way or another for as long as agriculture has existed. At the end of the day, your body is your own and you should be able to choose what goes into your body. The FDA has announced that Genetically Engineered (GE) plants or GMOs are safe for consumption just like organic produce. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *, You may use these HTML tags and attributes:
. That is a huge difference. The truth is, there really needn’t be a debate at all. I have always known that at some point I wanted to address the debate of organic versus conventional food and produce. Conventional systems of farming allow for a world with billions of people. The term organic can be a little ambiguous and mean something different to every person you ask. In the end, conventional farming does a better a job at maximizing resources and soil productivity. I really love this YouTube channel and if you are ever in need of scientific factual analysis of interesting topics drawn on a whiteboard, I highly recommend them. What are your thoughts about conventional vs. organic farming? Presently, agriculture is the major determinant of the eminence of life for people living all over the world, and one that can create an identity in cultural terms of the area. So, if you want, you can try without any hassitation. In fact, many farmers incorporate both organic and inorganic methods into their farms. Further, the organic diet (which again includes the meat variable) uses 40% more land than the conventional diet. However, the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers has always been the biggest issue hurled against conventional farming. Despite this, I don’t think organic food has any large benefits compared to conventional. As someone from a rural background, I have been involved in this debate several times. Thank me later , Your email address will not be published. Leave them in the comments below! Conventional systems of farming allow for a world with billions of people. Instead, it largely relies on materials and techniques like crop rotation, biological pest control, animal manure, crop residues, and mechanical cultivation to promote soil productivity and control insects. That just makes sense. Supporters of conventional agriculture say that organic farming is little more than a fad — and that organic produce lightens consumers’ wallets for no tangible benefits. As previously mentioned, conventional farming methods generally lead to higher productivity and yield. The more conventional model for farming allows for a global perspective to be possible. That may cause stress at the global level but it allows for a utilitarian model, the greatest good for the greatest amount. The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires big-time organic farmers (those who sell more than $5,000 a year in organic produce) to comply with its organic certification program. I have kind of been dreading this post. 8 Pros And Cons Of No-Till Farming: Will It Work For Your Farm? Required fields are marked *, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, 7 Ways to Protect Livestock from Parasites. An animal product (milk, meat, eggs) is considered organic if the animal doesn’t use antibiotics or growth hormones. The conventional vs. organic farming debate has always been a hot issue. Through this people have been deciding on the genome of a plant species for centuries and centuries. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Do you have any thoughts or questions about organic or conventional agriculture?