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A new report details the benefits of organic farming and outlines strategies to expand organic farming practices through the 2023 Farm Bill. The report is a product of the National Resources and Defense Council (NRDC), the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University (ASU) and Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR).
Entitled “Grow Organic: The Climate, Health, and Economic
Case for Expanding Organic Agriculture,” the report uplifts organic agriculture
for its focus on ecological diversity, soil fertility, and natural systems over
chemical interventions. The authors write that this approach “holds significant
and largely untapped potential to address multiple crises facing our society,
including climate change, health, and struggling rural economies.”
Research into the human and environmental benefits of organic agriculture, complemented by case studies of over a dozen farms, helps to highlight the potential of these farming practices. The report shows that organic farming can help to sequester carbon, boost soil health, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These techniques can also help to limit the spread of antibiotic resistance—a growing problem threatening human health—and reduce exposure to harmful agricultural chemicals.
“Expanding organic agriculture is an investment in our
future, one that could ultimately produce significant returns. Today’s
conventional system contains immense hidden costs subsidized by tax dollars
that we can no longer afford. When we account for the true costs of our current
farming systems—including health, environmental, social, and economic
impacts—the value of organic farming is undeniable,” says Dr. Kathleen
Merrigan, Executive Director, of Swette Center at Arizona State University and
former U.S. Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA).
But “Grow Organic” notes that only 1 percent of agricultural
land is managed organically. A report from the Organic Farming Research
Foundation (OFRF) finds that producers often struggle with challenges including
a reduction in yields during the three-year period required for the transition
to organic, weed and pest management, and organic certification costs. OFRF
also notes that these challenges disproportionately affect BIPOC growers.
To change this, the authors of “Grow Organic” provide 10
recommendations to help policymakers scale organic agriculture through the 2023
Farm Bill and beyond.
“More significant organic investments in the Farm Bill—
together with a strong administrative commitment to organic and the continued
advocacy of stakeholders—are necessary to ensure that everyone who wants to
farm, ranch, manage land, and eat organically can do so,” the report states.
Suggestions include providing greater support to farmers
during the transition period, increasing federal resources to support research
into and technical assistance for organic agriculture, and reducing barriers to
organic certification for BIPOC farmers. Using True Cost Accounting can also
help stakeholders better understand the value of organic agriculture.
“The cash register receipt captures only part of the true
cost of food,” Merrigan tells Food Tank. “The harm of synthetic chemicals on
human health, biodiversity, and the environment are not accounted for, which is
one of the many reasons why organic is always the best buy.”
Source:
Online/SZK
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