|
Biological agriculture is a type of agriculture that considers the entire ecosystem of agriculture, exploiting the natural fertility of the soil favor limited intervention, promotes the biodiversity of the environment in which it operates and excludes the use of synthetic products (except those specifically allowed by regulation) and genetically modified organisms.
 Definition
The word "organic" in organic farming is actually a misnomer: the agricultural, biological or conventional, is always on a biological process carried out by a plant, animal or microbial.
The main difference between organic and conventional agriculture is the energy level introduced auxiliary nell'agrosistema: in conventional uses is a significant amount of additional energy from industrial processes (chemical, mining, mechanics, etc.). On the contrary, organic farming, although partly based on auxiliary power from industry and mining engineering, re-use the material mainly in organic form.
A more appropriate summary statement could also possibly be one of those adopted in other languages, agriculture or organic farming, because they highlight the main distinguishing aspects of organic farming, namely the conservation of soil organic matter or the original intention to find a form of agriculture with low environmental impact.
 Theory
The philosophy behind this different way of cultivating plants and breeding animals is not only linked to offer products without residues of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, but also (if not more) based on the desire not to determine in 'negative environmental externalities, that is, negative impacts on the environment at the level of pollution of water, land and air.
In practice, organic farming are mainly central agronomic aspects: the fertility of the land is protected through the use of organic fertilizers, the practice of crop rotations and workmanship careful maintenance (or possibly improving) the structure of the soil and the percentage of organic matter, and the fight against adversity plant is permitted only with herbal preparations, minerals and animals that are not synthetic chemicals (except certain products considered "traditional") and the emphasis on biological control, except in cases where mandatory fight must be used the most effective active ingredients available.
The animals are reared by techniques which respect their welfare and fed with plant products in accordance with the principles of organic farming. Techniques are avoided forcing growth and prohibited methods of industrial management of stock, while for the treatment of any disease using homeopathic remedies and phytotherapy limiting allopathic medicines to the cases provided by the regulations.
An interpretation of the concept of organic agriculture aims to food sovereignty and a more radical opposition to modern industrial agriculture is the principle of self-organization.
In natural Fukuoka, cultivation of rice in addition to not use fertilizers and plant protection products, will not ever plow the land and the flooding of the soil lasts one week only (monsoon). I collected, as the promoter of the art, are high and can reach yields of 7.5 tonnes per hectare.
 Legislation
Organic farming in Europe has been regulated for the first time at community level in 1991 with Reg * (EEC) No. 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs. Only in 1999 with Reg on * (EC) No 1804/99 were normally also to livestock production.
In June of 2007 was adopted a new EC Regulation on Organic Farming, Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007, which repeals the previous and on organic production and labeling of organic products of plant origin is that animal (including aquaculture).
Quality
Organic food were free of residual pesticides in the analysis conducted by Legambiente Pesticides in the studio flat in 2007. Also a study in 2005 showed that the traces of pesticides content in the urine of children disappear after a few days of feeding organic.
Some recent studies have reported for some organic products contain higher antioxidants and nutrients. In general, however, according to an analysis of the body of knowledge currently available, carried out by the French Food Safety Authority in 2003, it is not possible to conclude that there are remarkable differences in terms of nutrient inputs from organic and conventional products.
In any case, some studies have shown that peaches, apples and organic kiwifruit have greater consistency, and contain greater amounts of nutrients and antioxidants such as natural sugars, vitamin C, beta-carotene and polyphenols, agreeing with previous research, such as that of ' National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition, which in 2002 had found a nutritional superiority of peaches, pears, plums and oranges compared to the biological counterpart conventional. Tomatoes at Davis studied indicate that the soil quality is a key factor, but it would not be alone: for example the pulp of organic fruit contains less water, and thus a concentration of nutrients highest; another factor is related to variety choices for organic growing, which are often more valuable. The most accredited hypothesis to explain these data is that the plants bio, not helped by the chemistry to grow and defend themselves, are forced to produce for themselves many more substances that have a protective effect against insects, fungi and bacteria.
In daily practice, these qualitative differences found between traditional and organic products tend to flatten due to the demands of the processing and distribution requires that the homogeneity and quality uniforms for all types of product. To remedy this have been specifically developed short chains.
The theme of mycotoxins
A widespread idea in the organic food that they want to have a higher presence of mycotoxins, natural substances to toxic action produced by several species of fungi. Several studies on mycotoxins, aflatoxin and other contaminants in food have not shown significant differences. In particular, the study: "Food quality and safety of specific organic food", presented at the XXII FAO Conference for Europe (entitled "Food safety and quality as affected by organic farming") concludes that "it is quite possible that the production Organic lead to a risk of contamination by mycotoxins higher. "
Critical
Organic farming, especially when it is seen as a model of global development (especially from certain movements like Slow Food and activists like Vandana Shiva), has been the focus of debate and criticism. In particular there are two main objections: its not sustainable on a large scale and the lack of certain scientific practices related all'assioma natural = good.
Sustainability
While the prohibition of the use of most synthetic agrochemicals reduces that part of the environmental impact of agriculture linked to toxic molecules in the environment, it is also true that organic farming has lower average yields of 20-45 % compared to the conventional one and therefore, to produce the same amount, it would be necessary to crop the land for 25-64% more. This, however, lead to the destruction of natural habitats important for biodiversity as well as to exacerbate the problem of hunger.
There is also the belief that organic management practices to reduce leaching of nitrogen into groundwater or to help the development of microbial communities of soil, but it is not entirely accurate data exist regarding controversial.
On the subject of sustainability was also noted that organic farming is able to approach, for many crops, the results of the conventional one only if coupled to a fertilization of the soil. Due to the scarcity of animals raised on organically is permitted the use of fertilizers also certified as organic, however, that in fact derived from conventional production. This practice makes the yields of organic farming dependent on the presence of a strong conventional agriculture, with results that could not be maintained if the organic farming, from niche phenomenon, were to become a global phenomenon.
Scientificity
In organic farming, the choice of products and the molecules used is determined according to their origin, which must be natural. This distinction between natural products and synthesis is, however, empty from a scientific point of view and brings the incorrect conclusion that the latter are more toxic than the former. This effectively allows you to use in organic farming natural products that have higher toxicity than those of several synthetic products (for example rotenone) or whose environmental impact is significant as in the case of sulfate vinasse, nitrate or Chile of Verderame. There are also some diseases that are not controlled by biological systems or for which there is mandatory fight to retain the organic certification while using synthetic chemicals to control the insect or disease.
In some cases, the inability to use herbicides, requires more mechanical work and for some crops they become costly both economically and energetically, as in the case of organic rice.
These reasons make it difficult for organic farming for many agricultural species, especially commodities like corn and soybeans, most of the crops is confined to species that are easier to manage as few trees (Olive) and pasture and forage, which constitute only about 50% of the Italian organic.
Taxation and subsidies
Some detractors of the "model" organic strongly criticize the use of the alleged superiority of organic food (not even advertising should refer) to pass measures that impose the use in schools in artificially supporting the sector.
Much criticism is also provided incentives for this sector.
Dissemination
Organic farming in recent years has raised much interest among consumers mainly due to food scares (BSE and Dioxin) while remaining a niche market, due largely to higher prices compared to the corresponding conventional products. In Italy, one of the leading countries in the European organic production involves approximately 6.9% of agricultural land, of which more than 50% represented by pastures and fodder. In addition to the environmental considerations of content, other reasons which prompted the adoption of this type of farming practice in general were those of business content (consumers are willing to pay more for organic products) or related to the availability of funding 'Union for the adoption of agricultural practices environmentally friendly.
Differences with other countries
Unlike what happens in Europe, the United States or Japan, where all the major distribution chains carry organic products to its brand, and where there are supermarket chains specializing in recent years, the spread of organic products in the distribution of our great country slowed down. The depletion of resources of regional development plans - the tool by which the regions "spend" European funding for agriculture - has had the greatest responsibility in reducing the number of farms and sales area.
The fact must not be understood, however, as an indicator of market crises: the control system has been left to companies more interested in European contributions, which have continued to sell their products on the conventional market. Consequently, the volume of products sold was reduced only in the supermarket channel, and has continued to grow in the channel of specialized shops and direct sales to farmers.
 In catering
The share of organic products used by the catering is growing about 1 million children eat organic food at school (as required by law n.488/1999, Articles 59 and other regional laws) and some regions, among as Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Tuscany, Marche and Basilicata, also provide grants to local governments that opt for organic products. The Law of Emilia-Romagna n.29/2002 also the exclusive use of organic products in nurseries, schools in childhood and elementary schools, while organic production must be at least 35% of the ingredients used in the other meals.
Control bodies
The monitoring allowed by the Ministry of Agriculture are private entities to which the law assigns the task of verifying compliance with the regulations implementing the part of organic farms and give your mark to be affixed to labels of products sold by the associate. These bodies should respect the principle of''no''terzietà engaging in other business relationships or consulting with companies certified, the regions and provinces with special status are responsible for checking this. The monitoring inspection at the companies at least once a year. The inspection is an inspection of a person in charge of certifying that controls regulatory compliance, record keeping, and if necessary, in the presence of suspected violations, collects samples for analysis in the laboratory at ARPAT or in a laboratory accredited by SINAL (National System for Accreditation of Laboratories).
Source: Wikipedia
|
|