The earth’s soil is where all life begins and ends. In order
for a healthy cycle to work, it is crucial to keep soil in its most natural and
prosperous condition. Think about it: what is goes into the earth’s soil
becomes absorbed by the seeds planted for our crops; these crops are consumed
by humans and animals; we then eat the animals that have lived off these crops;
life ends, and we return to the soil.
Organic agriculture believes in the idea of working with
nature and pursues a long-term profit and healthy lifestyle for generations to
come. Today’s chemical agriculture does just the opposite in that the chemical
farmers and government try to control nature and strive for a short-term profit
with no regards to how it is effecting the generations health and the earth’s
climate.
Pesticides literally kill. Beginning around the 1930s and 40s,
there was a boom in mass-produced synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and
pesticides that were applied to crops across the country. Antibiotics were
pumped into livestock, and artificial additives were introduced to their feed.
(This was in part due to the aftermath of WWII.) Today, we have an overwhelming
supply of chemically processed crops and genetically modified foods (GMO).
Although GMO crops have very weak roots, they can withstand the harshest
pesticides and herbicides to keep the bugs and weeds away, resulting in less
labor, a larger crop size, and faster profit. But what about the consumers of
these fruits and vegetables? Does it matter that we are literally introducing
poison into our bodies? Here are some of the health issues that have been
linked to chemical farming-including GMO crops and unhealthy livestock: reduced
intelligence, behavioral problems, cancer, brain toxicity, fertility issues,
diabetes, and obesity.
We should be supporting organic farmers for their hard work
in maintaining a clean crop and healthy livestock. We should be supporting our
bodies with a healthy lifestyle and well-being. We should be supporting a clean
environment. We should support the soil and its job.
Why are there more chemical farmers than organic farmers?
Why is organic more expensive? Due to the Farm Bill and lobbying, chemical
farmers are given incentives, insurance, and bailouts to continue growing GMO
crops. However, the organic farmers receive no financial support from the
government and have to pay a 5% premium for insurance; therefore, organic
farmers need to raise their prices on produce to make a living. Although, if
you think about it, the amount of tax money going towards our healthcare costs
and environmental clean-up is more expensive in the long-run than buying
organic. “Quantity of food is not the problem…price of food and political
instability are.”
According to Organic
Manifesto, there are 4 billion pounds of pesticides per year applied to
U.S. crops. Crops have been contaminated, which pollutes our air (too much
carbon dioxide), our water (from runoff), our wildlife (such as pollinating
bees), and ourselves (as consumers).
To put into perspective on how organic farming can save our
earth, here is a study done in 2008 that was mentioned in Organic Manifesto: A team of
150 independent organic certified farmers worked on a 33 acre farm in
California. They kept 10.5 million lbs. of chemical fertilizers, and 305,000
lbs. of chemical pesticides out of the environment, and saved 1.7 million lbs.
of petroleum. This is equivalent to taking 7,500 cars off the road each year.
Imagine how much we can nurse our earth back to health if all farmers switched
to organic. However, switching to organic farming is not that easy, as it takes
three years to heal chemical induced soil.
5 solutions to save us – Organic
Manifesto:
1.) Protest to ban chemical and GMO agriculture.
Reverse the Farm Bill model.
2.) Fight for funding to go to organic farmers. Know
you are doing something good! It takes one person to make a change.
3.) Business communities need to step up, be
leaders, and support and enrich the people and the planet. It takes one person
to make a change.
4.) Look towards the long-term health rather than
short-term profit.
5.) We need to demand what is right. We should not
have to settle for poisoned food, dirty air, contaminated water, and fake
seeds. Maria Rodale stated from Organic
Manifesto, “Stand for food that is safe and affordable for all...make
organic the conventional choice rather than the exceptional choice.”
This information is a summary from Organic Manifesto: How Organic Farming Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the
World, and Keep Us Safe, by Maria Rodale.
