Important Organic Farming Facts
Critics are quick to regard organic farming as just another fad without even checking the organic farming facts. The multiple benefits of organic farming that its advocates assert are actually backed by scientific evidence obtained from numerous studies. If you want to know more about this type of alternative agriculture, here are some organic farming facts that may just convince you of its advantages.
One of the organic farming facts that only a few people know is that it promotes biodiversity. Many researchers have discovered that the species present in organic farms are more plentiful and varied than those that are present in traditional farms. It has been found that in organic farms, there are 57 per cent more species of plant, 25 per cent more birds at the field edge, 1.6 times more arthropods, 3 times more non-pest butterflies, 1 to 2 times more species of spiders, and more trees on field boundaries. There were also fewer instances of aphids due to increased number of its natural predators. Though the field edges have the most number of wildlife, the highest increases were in the cropped places. This evidence just proves how advantageous organic farming is for the environment.
Another significant organic farming facts is that organic products provide more nutrients than conventionally grown foods. While critics claim that there is still no scientific consensus about the health benefits of organic foods, a review of 41 published studies by nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington found out that organic crops indeed have significantly more nutrients. For instance, there is 13.6% more phosphorous, 27% more vitamin C, 29.3% more magnesium, and 21.1% more iron. Additionally, organic plants have 15.1% less nitrates than conventional plants. As a matter of fact, it would only take five servings of organic vegetables to attain the recommended daily intake of vitamin C which is not true for its conventional counterparts.
A final example of significant organic farming facts is that organic farms can better tolerate extreme weather conditions like hurricanes and droughts. For instance, a research has proven that organic farms can produce 70-90% more than traditional farms during droughts. Although organic farms tend to produce less in normal circumstances, they can compensate during droughts wherein they can produce more.
