Environmental Health Issues:
Organic Farming Benefits of Organic Arable Farming
Environmental health issues can be reduced by organic farming (compared to non organic farming). Organic farming benefits include reduced pesticides, chemicals and antibiotics in food products.
Environmental health issues created through intensive farming can be reduced through organic arable farming.
Benefits: Organic Farming
(compared to Non Organic Farming)
Organic arable farming uses, among others, the following principles to avoid and reverse the destruction of soil effects of intensive farming:
- Sustainable crop rotation
- Maintaining biodiversity
- Using resistant crop varieties
- Ensuring high soil nutrition
Arable land that is farmed organically is planned to grow different types and varieties of crops at different times. The chosen crops are selected for their own, natural resistance to pests and disease.
This maintains biodiversity of the soil, so that a rich and wide variety of organisms/life forms, nutrients and minerals perform their natural work of aiding the growth of crops.
The soil will be high in nutrition. And the organic farmer's reliance is on natural predators to deal with pests and disease; rather than relying on chemicals. Further, the organic system conserves the natural environment, leaving hedgerows and other plant-matter where it should be.
This all helps to keep the soil rich, strong and fertile and maintains the diversity of wildlife in the area. Animals, not to mention agricultural workers, are healthier and free from chemical input-caused disease. The benefits of organic farming are not only in the healthier pesticide-free organic foods, but also in the reduction of environmental health issues.
The additional benefit is that organic farming produces much tastier and nutritionally better vegetables and fruits.
The Impact of Environmental Health Issues on Wildlife
Research shows that:
... in the period between 1969 and 1991 tree sparrow populations declined by 85%, corn bunting by 76%, grey partridge by 73%, turtle doves by 75% and skylarks by 50%.
The article went on to blame current agricultural practices that have seen hedgerows destroyed, meadows ploughed up and fields harvested before the birds had a chance to finish rearing their young.
It said that the dawn chorus, that enchanting time of the morning when the air is alive to the sound of bird song, is heard no more in many parts of E. Anglia, where an eerie silence now greets the dawn.
The dawn chorus is indeed absent when living in areas surrounded by intensive farming and encroaching industrialization. And even living in an urban setting, ironically, we used to see wildlife such as deers, coyotes, and bears in the large, forested ravine that our house backs onto - much of that wildlife has disappeared in recent years as residential sprawl continues to take over the land.
Family members who live in an agricultural zone, are surrounded by organic farmers and have begun to see the return of wildlife to the area. A study published in the U.K.'s Journal of Applied Ecology, April, 2005, also found that:
... On average, organisms were 50% more abundant in organic farming systems... Birds, predatory insects, soil organisms and plants responded positively to organic farming... We suggest that positive effects of organic farming on species richness can be expected in intensively managed..[organic].. agricultural landscapes...Ingentaconnect
Organic Farming Benefits
The most beautiful sight following the conversion of an intensively farmed environment to organic, is the return of wildlife to its home. Birds, animals and flowers come back with a vengeance. The sounds and smells of life in abundance proclaim the renewal of land.
If you want to help reduce our environmental health issues, and are thinking of joining the organic revolution (for the benefits organic farming), please grow and/or buy organic food. It is easy to switch from intensively farmed produce to organic, and you and your family will benefit greatly from growing and buying organic food.
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