Organic Agriculture/Organic Farming

Organic
foodBritish
farmers can’t keep up with the demand for organic food. Much organic
produce is imported though; and, if environmental concerns are part of
the equation, does importing make sense? And is organic food actually
‘healthier’?What
is organic food?Most
farming relies heavily on artificial chemical fertilizers and
pesticides. Around 350 pesticides are permitted, and it’s estimated
that 4.5billion litres of them are used annually. While there are
Government rules about accepted levels of pesticide residues in our
food, there can be concerns about their long-term effect. Agrochemicals
and artificial fertilizers can harm the environment too.Organic
agriculture is carried out to a set of legally defined standards.
Producers then pay to have their produce monitored and certified by one
of several organic organisations, of which the Bristol-based Soil
Association is by far the largest in the UK.Organic farming
strictly limits the use of artificial chemical fertilizers or
pesticides. Antibiotics for animals are kept to an absolute minimum.
Instead it emphasises farming methods such as crop rotation to keep the
soil healthy and natural pest-control systems. Genetically modified
crops are forbidden. Organic bodies also demand more space for animals
and higher welfare standards.Is
all organic food the same?No.
Some organic certification schemes are stricter than others. The Soil
Association’s are most stringent, particularly for poultry and pigs.
Soil Association-certified chickens are kept in smaller flocks, and
have more space indoors and out than others. Other organic poultry
standards are closer to free-range.A
campaigning as well as certifying body, the Soil Association is helping
UK schools switch to organic produce and encouraging visits to organic
farms as part of its education programme. Its trademark is the best
known organic symbol; it opposes proposals for an EU organic logo, due
to be introduced in 2009, which would allow food contaminated with up
to 0.9 per cent GM-modified material to call itself organic. The Soil
Association fears that the symbol would undermine its own more-rigorous
standards. It also fears the logo would obscure the local origins of
organic food. Is
organic food ‘better’?The
Food Standards Agency (FSA) takes the position that there is not enough
scientific evidence to claim that organic food is safer or more
nutritious than conventionally produced food. Government ministers have
followed suit by describing buying organic food as a ‘lifestyle’
choice. Given that most people don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables,
the logic goes, it’s important they are not put off eating more by
believing conventional produce isn’t healthy.The FSA continually
reviews the latest research to make sure its advice is based on the
most up-to-date science. Results of a recent, much-reported £12-million
EU study examining the nutritional value of organically produced
compared with conventionally farmed food, were released in October
2007. This four-year farming experiment took place in the north-east of
England at Newcastle University. Early results suggest that organic
potatoes, kiwi fruit and carrots contain up to 40 per cent more
antioxidants such as vitamin C than conventionally farmed, while
organically farmed lettuce, spinach and cabbage also had higher levels
of minerals and antioxidants.Cattle
were also reared on the farm at which the study was undertaken. Early
results suggested that the organic milk was found to contain 60 per
cent more antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids than ordinary milk
contains.However,
the Newcastle University paper has not yet been peer-reviewed and the
study also showed that there were significant variations regarding
micronutrient levels in foods. What’s more, the health benefits of
anti-oxidants is also a topic of current scientific debate. More
research is needed in this area before conclusions can be drawn.Organic
produce on the riseSales
of organic food in the UK have been on the up and up. Parents are
particularly keen on it; 70 per cent of the baby food market is now
organic. Overall, according to the latest 2007 Soil Association Organic
Market Report (measuring all organic food sales, not just its certified
products) sales were up by 22 per cent on the previous year.Two-thirds
of the unprocessed organic produce in the supermarkets is from the UK.
N

Isakat ko daw an thread na ini. Ta tibaad bumalik sa dati.

Buhayon ta daw tabi an torsidong ini ta sigun sa sakuyang pag masid, dakulang tabang ini sa satu asin sa mga masunod pang henerasyon. Kan nakaaging sobra 32 anyos tabi, nagkaigwa nin proyekto an gobyerno sa Polangui asin mga kataid na lugar na magtanumnin mangga. Saro na ako sa mga nakisumaro sa mga technician na magtanum kaini.Ngunian na presentinagbuburunga na su mga mangga pero dahil sa an lokasyon kan sakung manggahan harayo sa Manila. Masasabi kong dai akong market kan mangga. Nata? Mas dakula ang gastos ko sa kabaklan kan mangga ko.
Saro pa tabi… igua akong 11 ektaryang kalamansi-an (masuwa) sa Polangui, pero arog kan mangga dai man ining market ta daog kan kalamansi na hali sa Davao.
An sakuyang punto, dai kitang insentibo asin tabang na hali sa gobyerno manunungod sa mga proyectong ini. Pag panahon nin mangga, dakul an mangga. Nalalapa ta dai na kayang kaonon. Kaipuhan gayud na iguang proyekto an gobiyerno na arog kan processing plant para mapreserba an mangga para e-export sa ibang nasyon. Arog man kan kalamansi (suwa) pede man ining e-puree para e-export man o pansadiring konsumo.
Igua na man akong ginibong mga project study kaini, pero mahal an mga kagamitan. Makatakot ta diyan baga sato sa Pilipinas ararog-arog. Kun ararugan dadaugon kita kan mga mayayaman. Tibaad dai maka-uli an kapital ta, herac man satuya kun isusugal ta su satuyang pinag-pagalan.
An saru pa palan, an pagtutubo. Masakit tabing marhay ta an presyo kan mamis, kontrolado sa ngunian kan mga negosyante. Sa ngunian, an presyo tabi kan mamis Php 15.00 an sarong takop sa Polangui. Gurano tabi ngunian diyan sa indo sa Tabako, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Masbate, Samar, Leyte, Naga asin Daet. Kun siisay man tabi saindo an taga digdi sa mga nabanggit na lugar na ini, kaipuhan mi man tabi an saindong feedback kun gurano diyan saindo an sarong takop na mamis?
Iyan tabi anmga problema ko bilang paratanum. Tibaad tabi igua kamong feedback o aram na mas marhay napaagi, welcome tabi digdi. Nagtatanum tabi ako bako na para sa sakuya ta saru na akong retirado. Gusto ko po lamang makatabang sa mga saradit na paratanum samuya sa Polangui.
Mabalos po tabi sa gabos.
Please contact: Lading’s Farm Incorporated
Balaba, Polangui, Albay

BL, I am all for organic farming–or as I’d prefer to call it, synthetic chemical-free food production, pero ano daw an effect sa ibang hayop na nag kakaon kan flies and mosquitoes, kun diit na sana su saindong kaka-onon?
I like the idea of promoting thehabitat of insects and birdsthat eat flies and mosquitos and other pests. Aw inda…minakulog an payo kopag pig-isip ko an inter-dependence of all God’s creation 8-}

pepeng mulat : uni tabi an pwede kongmai-contribute sa gigibohon nindong feasiblity study regarding COMPOSTING. Dikit lang ini pero makakatabang man. Pakibasa nalang tabi sa baba:
COMPOSTING

What YOU can do: The basic compost recipe
The basic recipe for efficient decomposition combines lots of carbonaceous material (dry leaves, wood chips, twigs and straw) with fresh yard trimmings, grass, vegetable and fruit peels and coffee grounds. Mix, then “cook.” This happens through the energy generated by the microorganisms, which heats a compost pile to 150 degrees at its core. “If you add about half brown to half green, your pile should start cooking,” Raver writes. Good compost should be ready in 60 to 90 days.
In a free-form PILE or in a BIN?
Out of doors, loosen the soil first to activate microorganisms, then lay down branches or corn stalks to promote air circulation. Michael Pollan advises, “…it’s best to begin a compost pile with a bit of compost, on the same principle as sourdough bread making.” Layers the uncontained pile, alternating six-to-eight inch layers of raw organic stuff with a sprinkling of manure, dried blood or cottonseed meal, then a two-inch layer of soil.
Whether you let your compost decompose in plain air or in a container, keep turning your pile, which adds cold matter to the core and provides oxygen to beneficial microbes. Keep it slightly damp, but add dry leaves if the pile starts to stink.
Warning: Keep out meat, fish, bones, grease and cheese; they attract rats. Also, oily things tend to stay preserved.

Organic baga ang pig po promote ngonyan ta natural way ang course kang pag-produce ki gulay/prutas dai na kaipuhan? ang fertilizer. Su tanom sa natad na gulay/prutas na dai pigbudbudan ki fertilizer pag inani: Organic vegetables/fruits. Su nakabuhing manok na maski ano na sana ang pigkakaon pag kinatay : organic chicken. Dakul ang habo na kang may fertilizer ta kung ano anong helang ang nagluluwas ngonyan. Mas preferred kang kadaklan su gulay/prutas o animales na naturally grown/raised. Probinsya style.
Igwang tindahan ki organic stuff, organic din ang presyo. “Whole” foods ang pangaran kang tindahan, kung duman ka mag grocery halos “whole” paycheck ang gastos mo. Dai, gusto ko lang sabihon, mas mahal pag may label/sticker na Certified Organic, dakula talaga ang diperensiya kang presyo.
Bilang consumer, minsan pig-iisip ko, ano kaya ini? Sticker sanang idinukot para masabing organic o mabakal na sana ako kang baratong gulay/prutas na may fertilizer, baratong manok na ininiksyunan ki steroid na garo na muscles nina Rambo/Hulk ang amount kang meat? (Pag nag-breakdown na ang pagkaon sa lawas ta, su end product kaibanan na su fertilizer/steroid maralaog na an sa cells kang satuyang hawak). Dangan mag-inom na sana ning galon-galon na tubig para ma flush-out sa lawas su gabos na fertilizer/steroids sa mga pigkaon ?

yup i like this idea.. right now im currently working with a trading company in switzerland for Organic products..We have also farmers in Mindoro who is planting Organic Coffe.. please visit our website:

http://gebana.com

Go organic.. live healthy without destroying our native lands.. 😀

Actually, we are propagating the program for Organic Farming here in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). One example of this is the Organic Vegetable farming in Benguet Province and other provinces here. There is actually a place where you can buy organic vegetables here particularly in the town of La Trinidad,Benguet adjacent to Baguio City and also a restaurant serving organic vegetables and foods. We are also promoting here the organic Coffee thru the OTOP or the “One-Town-One-Product concept”. In Benguet the OTOP is Organic Coffee…

[butterfly]