Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and

biological pest control. Organic farming uses fertilizers and pesticides but excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured (synthetic) fertilizers, pesticides (which include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides),plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives ,genetically modified organisms,[1] human sewage sludge, and nanomaterials.[2] Organic farming (of many particular kinds) was the original type of agriculture, and has been practiced for thousands of years. Forest gardening, a fully organic food production system which dates from prehistoric times, is thought to be the world's oldest and most resilient agroecosystem.[6] After the industrial revolution had introduced inorganic methods, some of which were not well developed and had serious side effects, an organic movement began in the mid-1920s in Central Europe through the work of Rudolf Steiner,[7][8]who created biodynamic agriculture, an early version of organic agriculture.[9][10][11] Organic agriculture was independently developed in the 1940s England through the work of Albert Howard as a reaction to agriculture's growing reliance on synthetic fertilizers.[12]Artificial fertilizers had been created during the 18th century, initially with superphosphates and then ammoniabased fertilizers mass-produced using the Haber-Bosch process developed during World War I. These early fertilizers were cheap, powerful, and easy to transport in bulk. Similar advances occurred in chemical pesticides in the 1940s, leading to the decade being referred to as the 'pesticide era'.[13] Although organic farming is prehistoric in the widest sense, Sir Albert Howard is widely considered to be the "father of organic farming" in the sense that he was a key founder of the post-industrial-revolution organic movement.[14] Further work was done by J.I. Rodale in the United States, Lady Eve Balfour in the United Kingdom, and many others across the world. The first lectures and publications on organic agriculture stem from Rudolf Steiner, however, whose Lectures on Agriculture were published in 1925.[12][15]The modern organic movement is a revival movement in the sense that it seeks to restore balance that was lost when technology grew rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. Modern organic farming has made up only a fraction of total agricultural output from its beginning until today. Increasing environmental awareness in the general population has transformed the originally supply-driven movement to a demand-driven one. Premium prices and some government subsidies attracted farmers. In the developing world, many producers farm according to traditional methods which are comparable to organic farming but are not certified. In other cases, farmers in the developing world have converted for economic reasons.[16] Methods Main article: Organic farming methods

Organic cultivation of mixed vegetables inCapay, California. Note the hedgerow in the background. "An organic farm, properly speaking, is not one that uses certain methods and substances and avoids others; it is a farm whose structure is formed in imitation of the structure of a natural system that has the integrity, the independence and the benign dependence of an organism"

Wendell Berry, "The Gift of Good Land" Soil management Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as micronutrients and symbiotic relationships with fungi and other organisms to flourish, but getting enough nitrogen, and particularly synchronization so that plants get enough nitrogen at the right time (when plants need it most), is likely the greatest challenge for organic farmers. [17] Crop rotation and green manure ("cover crops") help to provide nitrogen through legumes (more precisely, the Fabaceae family) which fix nitrogen from the atmosphere through symbiosis withrhizobial bacteria. Intercropping, which is sometimes used for insect and disease control, can also increase soil nutrients, but the competition between the legume and the crop can be problematic and wider spacing between crop rows is required. Crop residuescan be ploughed back into the soil, and different plants leave different amounts of nitrogen, potentially aiding synchronization.[17]Organic farmers also use animal manure, certain processed fertilizers such as seed meal and various mineral powders such as rock phosphate and greensand, a naturally occurring form of potash which provides potassium. Together these methods help to controlerosion. In some cases pH may need to be amended. Natural pH amendments include lime and sulfur, but in the U.S. some compounds such as iron sulfate, aluminum sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and soluble boron products are allowed in organic farming.[18]:43 Mixed farms with both livestock and crops can operate as ley farms, whereby the land gathers fertility through growing nitrogenfixing forage grasses such as white clover or alfalfa and grows cash crops or cereals when fertility is established. Farms without livestock ("stockless") may find it more difficult to maintain fertility, and may rely more on external inputs such as imported manure as well as grain legumes and green manures, although grain legumes may fix limited nitrogen because they are harvested. Horticultural farms growing fruits and vegetables which operate in protected conditions are often even more reliant upon external inputs.[17] Biological research on soil and soil organisms has proven beneficial to organic farming. Varieties of bacteria and fungi break down chemicals, plant matter and animal waste into productive soil nutrients. In turn, they produce benefits of healthier yields and more productive soil for future crops.[19] Fields with less or no manure display significantly lower yields, due to decreased soil microbe community, providing a healthier, more arable soil system.[20] Weed management Organic weed management promotes weed suppression, rather than weed elimination, by enhancing crop competition and phytotoxic effects on weeds.[21] Organic farmers integrate cultural, biological, mechanical, physical and chemical tactics to manage weeds without synthetic herbicides. Organic standards require rotation of annual crops,[22] meaning that a single crop cannot be grown in the same location without a different, intervening crop. Organic crop rotations frequently include weed-suppressive cover crops and crops with dissimilar life cycles to discourage weeds associated with a particular crop.[21] Organic farmers strive to increase soil organic matter content, which can support microorganisms that destroy common weed seeds.[23] Other cultural practices used to enhance crop competitiveness and reduce weed pressure include selection of competitive crop varieties, high-density planting, tight row spacing, and late planting into warm soil to encourage rapid crop germination.[21] Mechanical and physical weed control practices used on organic farms can be broadly grouped as: [24]

Tillage - Turning the soil between crops to incorporate crop residues and soil amendments; remove existing weed growth and prepare a seedbed for planting; Cultivation - Disturbing the soil after seeding; Mowing and cutting - Removing top growth of weeds; Flame weeding and thermal weeding - Using heat to kill weeds; and

Mulching - Blocking weed emergence with organic materials, plastic films, or landscape fabric.[25]

Some naturally sourced chemicals are allowed for herbicidal use. These include certain formulations of acetic acid (concentrated vinegar), corn gluten meal, and essential oils. A few selective bioherbicides based on fungal pathogens have also been developed. At this time, however, organic herbicides and bioherbicides play a minor role in the organic weed control toolbox.[24] Weeds can be controlled by grazing. For example, geese have been used successfully to weed a range of organic crops includingcotton, strawberries, tobacco, and corn,[26] reviving the practice of keeping cotton patch geese, common in the southern U.S. before the 1950s. Similarly, some rice farmers introduce ducks and fish to wet paddy fields to eat both weeds and insects.[27] Advantages of Organic Farming The most important of the advantages of organic farming is that it maintains the life of the soil, not only for the current generation, but also for the future generations. Water pollution is reduced withorganic farming. Most of the times after it rains, the water from the fields, which contains chemicals, gets drained into the rivers. This pollutes the water bodies. In organic farming, since no chemicals or synthetics are used, water pollution reduces as well. Organic farming helps in building richer soil. Rich soil is obtained by intelligently rotating crops. The rich soil helps in plant growth. The rate of soil erosion is reduced drastically. A French study has revealed that the nutritional quality and micro-nutrients are present in higher quantities in organically produced crops. The micro-nutrients promote good health. Organically grown food tastes better too. The overall cost of cultivating the crops reduces as the farmers use green manure or worm farming to replenish the lost nutrients of the soil. The other option that the farmers use, is to grow legumes in rotation with the other crops. The life of organically grown plants is longer than the plants cultivated by traditional methods. Organically grown crop is more drought tolerant. The chemical fertilizers cause the plant to ripen fast. When the crop does not get water it withers and dies, which is not the case with organic crops. Disadvantages of Organic Farming Along with the pros of organic farming, there are certain cons of organic farming too. The first disadvantage of organic farming is low productivity. With the highly developed chemicals and machinery, the farmer is able to multiply his harvest manifold times. The organic farmers use the cultivation method as opposed to drilling method used by the traditional farmers. The cultivated soil is prone to wind and water erosion. The traditional farmers opine that direct drilling does not cause any disharmony in the soil structure. The next argument, which goes against organic farming, is that the organically produced food is expensive. The cost is very often 50-100 percent more than the traditional food. The other valid argument is that organic food is not always available. There is a reason behind that. The organic farmers grow crops in accordance to the season. Neither do they artificially grow any crop nor do they extend the life of the plant or use chemicals, synthetics or pesticides. Therefore, oranges will be found only in winters and mangoes only in summer. Looking at it from the health benefits point of view, there is no doubt that you will benefit if you eat a particular food item, when it is actually in season. After weighing the pros and cons of organic farming, it is noticed, that the pros of organic farmingoutweigh the cons of organic farming. It is therefore best to consume organically grown food, although a bit expensive .

Organic farming
Vegetable and livestock production using natural sources of nutrients (such as compost, crop residues, and called low input farming.

In general, most consider organic farming a specific production system which aims to avoid the use of synthetic and harmful pesticides, fertilizers, growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Almost all organic farming systems rely on what some call, "Alternative farming methods" such as crop rotation, mechanical cultivation, animal manures, green manure and integrated pest management to maintain healthy soil, grow healthy plants and to control pests and weeds. The kicker is that thesealternative farming methods are older, from a historical perspective, than newer farming methods that include using pesticides and other synthetic farming applications According to the USDA National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), organic agriculture is defined as "an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, or enhance ecological harmony. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people." (NOSB, 1997) The term "organic" is defined by law (see "Legal" section below), as opposed to the labels "natural" and "ecofriendly," which may imply that some organic methods were used in the production of the foodstuff, but this label does not guarantee complete adherence to organic practices as defined by a law. Most "natural" products do not contain synthetic products, but may have been provided conventional (synthetic chemicals used in production) food or feed (as in "natural" beef). organic farming, the practice of raising plantsespecially fruits and vegetables, but ornamentals as wellwithout the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. In the United States, as elsewhere, awareness of the environmental damage and threats to health (see pollution;environmentalism) caused by DDT, dieldrin, and other insecticides and by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers has fostered interest in organic gardening, particularly among home gardeners. Organic gardeners use shortlived, biodegradable pest-killers or biological pest control and prefer manure for fertilizer. Organic farming on a large scale is both difficult and costly, but a small, steady market for organically grown, or "natural," foods supports a limited commercial effort in the United States.

J. I. Rodale et al., ed., The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening (1959, repr. 1971); C. O. Foster,The Organic Gardener (1972).

more: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/organic-farming.html#ixzz2BWS9IyBL

nternet info: http://www.hort.iastate.edu/,http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/organicag/

What is organic farming? Organic farming works in harmony with nature rather than against it. This involves using techniques to achieve good crop yields without harming the natural environment or the people who live and work in it. The methods and materials that organic farmers use are summarised as follows:

To keep and build good soil structure and fertility: recycled and composted crop wastes and animal manures the right soil cultivation at the right time crop rotation green manures and legumes mulching on the soil surface To control pests, diseases and weeds: careful planning and crop choice the use of resistant crops good cultivation practice crop rotation encouraging useful predators that eat pests increasing genetic diversity using natural pesticides Organic farming also involves: careful use of water resources good animal husbandry page 1 HDRA - the organic organisationOrganic Farming HDRA - the organic organisation page 2 A modern approach to farming Organic farming does not mean going back to traditional methods. Many of the farming methods used in the past are still useful today. Organic farming takes the best of these and combines them with modern scientific knowledge. Organic farmers do not leave their farms to be taken over by nature; they use all the knowledge, techniques and materials available to work with nature. In this way the farmer creates a healthy balance between nature and farming, where crops and animals can grow and thrive. To be a successful organic farmer, the farmer must not see every insect as a pest, every plant out of place as a weed and the solution to every problem in an artificial chemical spray. The aim is not to eradicate all pests and weeds, but to keep them down to an acceptable level and make the most of the benefits that they may provide.

Combined techniques On an organic farm, each technique would not normally be used on its own. The farmer would use a range of organic methods at the same time to allow them to work together for the maximum benefit. For example the use of green manures and careful cultivation, together provide better control of weeds than if the techniques were used on their own.Organic Farming page 3 HDRA - the organic organisation Why farm organically? Organic farming provides long-term benefits to people and the environment. Organic farming aims to: increase long-term soil fertility. control pests and diseases without harming the environment. ensure that water stays clean and safe. use resources which the farmer already has, so the farmer needs less money to buy farm inputs. produce nutritious food, feed for animals and high quality crops to sell at a good price. Modern, intensive agriculture causes many problems, including the following: Artificial fertilisers and herbicides are easily washed from the soil and pollute rivers, lakes and water courses. The prolonged use of artificial fertilisers results in soils with a low organic matter content which is easily eroded by wind and rain. Dependency on fertilisers. Greater amounts are needed every year to produce the same yields of crops. Artificial pesticides can stay in the soil for a long time and enter the food chain where they build up in the bodies of animals and humans, causing health problems. Artificial chemicals destroy soil micro-organisms resulting in poor soil structure and aeration and decreasing nutrient availability. Pests and diseases become more difficult to control as they become resistant to artificial pesticides. The numbers of natural enemies decrease.