Is organic farming bad? You may have seen many articles discussing the real effects of organic farming. Once before, organic farming was thought as the better way to farm. Some would say that it is even the healthier choice because of the processes used, or lack of processes used thereof. Organic farming is a kind of farming where harmful chemicals aren’t used.
When you read it like that, it is easy to assume that this kind of farming is the best way to go. However, many studies have come out that there’s more to organic farming than that. Organic farming isn’t actually greener or more efficient than your usual farming. In actuality, it is actually worse. When you consider the yield of the crops, you can clearly see that organic farming produces considerably fewer crops compared to usual modern farming methods. You need to look into some facts to understand the whole effect of organic farming. Organic farming – is it really better? Farming today is divided into two camps, traditional and modern, each side claiming that their farming method is superior than the other. Each side produces arguments to help their case but no matter what your preferences are, you need to listen to both sides. You need to read both arguments to make an informed decision. After all, this kind of lifestyle change is huge. Here are some facts. Organic farming uses more water, produces fewer crops, and requires more manpower to make it work. Meanwhile, modern farming uses pesticides, chemicals, and many other modifiers to ensure that the crops grow bigger and faster. The use of food modifiers, or what many would refer to as GMOs, affect the amount of harvest. GMO crops produces more crops per land area. Furthermore, their crops are more resilient to pests and insects which is why many farmers opt for this crop option. The Truth about GMO Crops There are still some debates on whether GMO crops are good or bad for your health. Many people suggest that because it uses gene editing, you are basically changing the structure of the food which can include unforeseen side effects. This camp would argue that GMO crops are actually bad for your health since they contain pesticides and other additional chemicals. The truth is, we have been ‘gene editing’ our crops ever since the start of agriculture. It is almost synonymous with breeding. You basically cross-breed two healthy plants with all the qualities you want and hope that they would produce a version that exhibits those qualities in perfect sync. This kind of breeding is almost the same as dog breeding. The main difference is the duration of the process. Crop breeding can run from a month to several decades depending on the type of plant and the added effect of randomness. The takeaway As I’ve said above, the debate is still ongoing and plenty of research are still needed to finally approve or disprove the benefits of GMOs. One thing is for certain, organic farming, while seemingly the ‘cleanest’ option, is more expensive, less efficient, and will require more work. Traditional farming seems to be the best choice that you have right now.
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AuthorI'm Jimmy and I'm a seasoned farming specialist - an ardent person about farming and agriculture. I've been in this company for about ten years now and I want to share my passion to my readers. I've authored numerous books and articles about poultry farming. I am confident in my practical experience about this business. I came from absolutely nothing and produced this image applying hard work. Categories |