Less Impact On The Environment
Each time you buy a product that has been produced organically you are helping to reducing the global warming affect that monoculture farms create, partly by reducing the amount of energy used to produce agro-chemicals. Organic gardening / farming techniques do not employ chemicals which kill beneficial insects and endanger birds or small mammals - so you are helping preserve biodiversity.
Animal Welfare
If you choose to eat meat and are not growing your own, then carefully consider buying organically grown meat. Not only must organic certified farmers not use chemicals, but the animals must live natural and contented lives. It is a requirement that calves be allowed to suckle from their mothers, chickens must free-range and sows are to give birth to their piglets naturally in sties with plenty of room.
You'll also be helping small-scale farmers. Most organic farms are small, independently owned and operated family farms of less than 100 acres. Organic farming is still mainly based upon labor-intensive practices such as weeding by hand and using green manures, crop covers and other simple techniques. In organic production livestock cannot be fed plastic pellets for roughage, or formulas containing urea or manure.
They cannot be given antibiotics or growth hormones. For an animal to be raised for organic beef, its mother must have been fed organic feed for at least the last third of gestation. When you purchases organic meat, there is a guarantee of traceability of the animal - from birth to marketing of the resulting meat- because farmers and handlers must keep extensive records as part of their farm and handling plans in order to be certified organic.
When you take up organic gardening, you begin to feel that you are doing something really useful for the environment and for the health of your family. The satisfaction you will feel is rewarding. Saving money is another great advantage of organic gardening.
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