Organic Farming - Dalkeith High School

Organic Farming
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Learning objectives
What is organic farming?
What are the advantages and
disadvantages of organic farming?
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How is organic farming different?
Organic farming produces food in a particular way.
Organic crops are produced
without chemical pesticides or
artificial fertilizers.
Organic livestock is reared free range,
allowing animals to move around.
They are fed only organic foods.
The use of antibiotics, hormones and
other drugs is kept to a minimum.
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Organic farming
Organic farmers follow some basic principles:
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Organic alternatives to modern farming
Organic farmers have found ways of farming without
the use of chemicals.
To keep the soil fertile, organic farmers use:
Crop rotation – the type of crop grown is varied, so that
the same nutrients do not get depleted every year.
Organic fertilizers, like manure.
To control pests, organic farmers use:
Resistant varieties of plant.
Biological controls – they release a
creature onto the farm that feeds on
the pest.
However, yields are still much
lower than on non-organic farms.
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South Penquite Farm – a case study
South Penquite is a 80
hectare working hill farm
situated high on Bodmin
Moor in Cornwall.
The farm has a flock of
300 ewes and a herd of 40
cows as well as many
horses, ponies, goats,
donkeys and chickens.
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South Penquite Farm
The farm has achieved organic status under
the guidance of the Soil Association.
The process of gaining organic status takes
two years, during which time no pesticides or
nitrogen fertilizers can be used on the land.
South Penquite started the
conversion to becoming an
organic farm in May 1999.
Since June 2001 they have
been able to offer organic
beef and lamb.
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South Penquite Farm
The farm also works to encourage wild plants and animals.
Measures have been taken to preserve the habitat of the
Golden Plover.
Some of South Penquite’s grazing land is managed to
protect endangered plants.
The river has been fenced-off
to keep the farm animals off
the banks. Riverbanks are an
important wildlife habitat.
The farm also has facilities for
field studies, providing
opportunities for educational groups to learn about the
local environment.
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Organic quiz!
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Learning objectives
What is organic farming?
What are the advantages and
disadvantages of organic farming?
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Environmental concerns
Many people feel that conventional farming is bad for
the environment.
Making fertilizers uses up fossil fuels.
Fertilizer and pesticides are washed into
lakes and rivers.
Intensively farming the same crop each
year reduces soil fertility.
Pesticides kill off wild plants and insects,
and poison birds and animals higher up
the food chain.
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Ethical and health concerns
Health
When pesticides are used, traces of
these chemicals may end up in the food
we eat. Many people worry that these
traces could be harmful to humans.
Animal welfare
Some people feel that conventional livestock farming is
inhumane, causing distress and pain to the animals.
For example, battery chickens are kept in extremely
cramped conditions.
Organic livestock farming
involves giving greater thought
to animal welfare. Organic
meat is raised free-range.
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Disadvantages of organic farming
Organic farming is less efficient.
Compared to a conventional
farm of the same size, an organic
farm will usually produce less food.
Organic alternatives to chemical
fertilizers and pesticides are less effective.
Free-range animals take up more space, so fewer
can be kept.
Organic farming is also more labour intensive, so
more workers are needed.
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Disadvantages of organic farming
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Disadvantages of organic farming
Because organic farming is less efficient, organic
food is more expensive.
Many people on low incomes cannot
afford to buy organic food.
Some people argue that if all UK farms were to become
organic, more land would have to be turned over to
agriculture to make the same amount of food.
This could hurt, rather than
help wild plants and
animals, by destroying their
habitats.
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Organic and GM
Genetically modified (GM) crops have had their
genetic material altered by scientists to make them
better than traditional crop varieties.
There are concerns that GM crops are bad for the
environment. They are resistant to pesticides, so
farmers are able to use stronger chemicals on them.
This may threaten wild plant species.
People are also concerned that GM
crops may harm human health.
Organic farmers make sure that their farms are GM-free.
Some people are turning to organic produce as a
guarantee that their food does not contain any GM.
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Is organic better?
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