I caught up with an old friend on a Skype chat yesterday and discussed Organic Produce.
He mentioned that after becoming sustainable and growing his own fruit and vegetables without pesticides and fertilizers, he was somewhat suspicious of any produce labelled ‘Organic’, in particular when it appeared in perfect condition, minus any insect damage.
Yes, it’s true, one does need to be diligent, as all so-called ‘Organic Produce’ is not necessarily so. This is one of the reasons for the certification from BFA (Biological Farmers of Australia) as Australian Certified Organic on products. Look for the ACO bud logo to ensure you’re buying true organic foods. ACO is Australia’s most recognised certified organic produce mark. The organisation is also accredited to certify organic operations in Europe, Japan, Switzerland, UK and USA.
I picked up a handy pamphlet from ACO’s stall at GreenFest which stated 20 excellent reasons for going Organic, outlining Health and Nutrition Benefits and Environment Advantages, including:
- avoiding food additives (often which are linked to rashes, headaches, asthma and hyperactivity
- reducing exposure to insecticides (pesticides) which affect the development of infants and children, as well as interfere with sex hormones
- accessing more nutrition and antioxidants (cancer-fighting compounds) and avoiding GMO (worryingly, there is little data on the long-term effects of GMO foods on humans)
- it’s yummy
- reducing greenhouse gas emissions (did you know that agriculture in Australia comes in at no. 2 for contributing to the highest amount of greenhouse gas emissions?) and put the CO2 back into the soil in the form of humus (“research found that if 1000 medium sized farms went Organic, the carbon stored in soils would be equivalent to taking 117,440 cars off the road each year”!)
- helping to regenerate soils – the medium for growing our food supplies – and increase their resilience to climate extremes (eg. drought)
- reduce chemical runoff into our waterways which poison our marine life, animals and plants
- ensure humane treatment of animals through strict standards
- reduce landfill through the practices of composting and recycling.
Be sure to visit the Australian Certified Organic Website and check out what’s new in the world of Certified Organics. BFA’s work is not only important to the Organic Farmers and our environment, but for us as consumers as well.