Other important considerations for organic growing

Animal welfare is another important consideration in organic farming. Only free-range animals are permitted, and permanent cages or permanent tethering is banned. Organic farming emphasizes a holistic farm management approach, where rotations and ruminant animals play an integral role to the system.

The principle of fair trade is also imbedded within organic standards. It ensures that the basic and financial needs of workers are provided for, that they get a fair share of returns from their production, and that workers are not grossly exploited.

Maintenance of biological diversity is also important. In two hundred years of farming in Australia we have dramatically reduced forest cover, exposed fragile soils and threatened the very existence of may species, by vegetation clearance, other habitat disturbance, pollution and trapping or shooting. And the destruction is still continuing, here in Australia, and in the developing world. Organic growers make some room for nature, because they rely on nature for the many free services it offers, such as pest control, because nature adds value, such as the medicines and other products we can extract from it, and because nature has intrinsic value of itself.

Organic growers:

• Maximize recycling and use of internal resources
• Maintain and improve the fertility, structure and biological activity of the soil based on compost and composted manure
• Maximize use of natural biological processes for nutrient provision and pest and disease control
• Maximize use of renewable energy sources
• Prevent environmental pollution
• Refrain from the use of any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides

The seven principles of organic farming, according to the Australian National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Agriculture (second edition), are:

1. The production of food of high nutritional value
2. The enhancement of biological cycles in farming systems
3. Maintaining and increasing fertility of soils
4. Working as far as practicable within a closed system
5. The avoidance of pollution resulting from agriculture
6. Minimising the use of non-renewable resources
7. The co-existence with, and the protection of, the environment.