by Lauren Todd

Created on: March 27, 2010

Carbon occurs in all known organic life, all organic compounds contain the two elements, carbon and hydrogen bonded together. These two elements form the basic process we refer to as “organic farming.” Non-organic food production models are not based on this combination, they include many different elements that are synthetic, meaning elements used in the process are not derived from natural animal and plant materials. This definition illustrates the difference between organic and non-organic at the most elemental level.

Organic farming is based upon six principles that incorporate the carbon model.

1. Using soil that has not been tainted with non-organic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, (weed killers) for up to three years.

2. Using soil organisms such as mulch and compost to fertilize crops.

3. Recycling livestock manure and crop residue for crop care.

4. Controlling insect infestation and weed growth using the crop rotation method.

5. Not genetically altering plants and animals in any way, nor using growth hormones on animals of any kind.

6. Checking production at all phases, to make sure that it is inline with natural processes, so that no harm comes to the environment.

Non-organic farming incorporates four principles that do not follow the carbon-model. These include,

1. Using synthetic herbicides and pesticides on crops to control weed growth and insect manifestation.

2. Using fertilizers including contaminated sewage sludge comprised of nitrates and ammonia for crop growth.

3. Using a combination of one and two only, for chief care of crops.

4. Relying on genetic altering of plants and animals to make them larger, than their natural size.

To summarize, the non-organic method is harmful to the plants and animals, as it subjects them to unnatural rapid growth through the use of hormones and genetic altering methods. It is dangerous for people to be ingesting pesticide or herbicide residue, from factory farms, as it is essentially made from the same compounds as rat poison. Notwithstanding, there is some concern about any use of pesticides or herbicides, even those derived from plants and animals, as being harmful to a human being. Studies are not adequate yet in this area.

It is very dangerous for our rivers, streams and water tables to have pesticide run-off, as they are our chief sources of drinking water and water for bathing, not to mention the contamination that occurs to our fish supplies.

The non-organic method of farming is incorporated to get all plants to grow quickly, for plants and animals to increase in size and for the process to be easily repeated at all factory farming plants, worldwide. There is one thing that is certain about the non-organic process and that is that international food corporations that own the factory farms and bio-tech industries that are involved in genetic processing, are in the business for one reason and it is not your health, it is material gain, to watch the profits from these practices continue to soar. Need I say more?

http://www.patrick-frink.net/methods/

http://www.rsc.org/Chemsoc/Chembytes/HotTopics/Organ ic/OrganicHealthier.asp

http://www.extension.org/article/18904

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