| |
- Wouldn't it be good if you could eat food that wasn't just healthy,
but was
actively good for you?
- Wouldn't it be good if the same food was produced in ways that didn't
damage the environment?
- Wouldn't it be good if that food was readily available throughout
this country?
|
| |
These are some of the reasons why Essential Trading, along with an
increasing proportion of the UK population, believes that Organic
food is a neccessity and not a luxury.
|
Of course, we do this by sourcing only the best commodities from
around the world, and are actively sourcing new suppliers every day.
|
We sell an extensive range of organic produce, from a huge choice
of brands including our own.
|
Our organic range is continually increasing, as we replace non-organic
items with organic variants wherever possible.
|
|
| |
|
Organic Solutions |
| Essential campaigns against the use
of Genetically Modified Foods and encourages and actively supports
organic agriculture as a realistic alternative to the use of GM Crops. |
| |
THE PRINCIPAL AIMS
OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND PROCESSING
|
| Organic agriculture and processing is
based on a number of principals and ideas. They are all equally important:
|
- To interact in a constructive and life-enhancing
way with natural systems and cycles.
- To encourage and enhance biological cycles within
the farming system, involving micro organisms, soil flora and fauna,
plants and animals.
- To maintain and increase long-term fertility of
soils.
- To promote the healthy use and proper care of water,
water resources and all life therein.
- To help in the conservation of soil and water.
- To use, as far as possible, renewable resources
in locally organised agricultural systems.
- To work, as far as possible, within a closed system
with regard to organic matter and nutrient elements.
- To work, as far as possible, with materials and
substances that can be reused or recycled, either on the farm or elsewhere.
- To give all livestock conditions of life which allow
them to perform basic aspects of their innate behaviour.
- To minimise all forms of pollution that may result
from agricultural practise.
- To maintain the genetic diversity of the agricultural
system and its surroundings, including the protection of plant and
wildlife habitats.
- To allow everyone involved in organic production
and processing a quality of life conforming to the UN Human Rights
Charter, to cover their basic needs and obtain an adequate return
and satisfaction from their work, including a safe working environment.
- To consider the wider social and ecological impact
of the farming system.
- To produce non-food products out of renewable resources,
which are fully biodegradable.
- To encourage organic farming associations to function
along democratic lines and the principle of division of powers.
- To progress towards an entire organic production
chain, which is both socially just and ecologically responsible.
Note: Genetic engineering
focuses on the genetic makeup without taking into account the complete
organism or system in which the organism functions. It is thus a contradiction
to the above mentioned principle aims of organic agriculture. |
| |
THE PRINCIPLE REQUIREMENTS
OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND PROCESSING. |
In order to achieve its principle
aims, the organic agricultural movement has adopted certain techniques
that respect natural ecological balances. These make it possible to avoid
such products and methods which are contrary to the principle aims.
The basis for crop production in gardening,
farming and forestry is the consideration for the structure and fertility
of the soil and surrounding ecosystem, as well as providing a diversity
of species. This is achieved by a combination of : |
- A versatile crop rotation
- The recycling of organic material, and includes a wide range of
methods for the control of pests, diseases and weeds which avoid the
use of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides.
- The basis for animal husbandry is the respect for the physiological
and ethiological needs of the animals. This is achieved by a combination
of:
- Providing sufficient amounts of good quality organic fodder
- Providing husbandry systems appropriate to behavioural needs
- Proper veterinary treatment
- Animals are an important part of an organic farming system because:
- They contribute to closing the nutrient cycles
- Animals convert organic matter and are thus major contributors
to soil fertility
- Some animal species can utilise agricultural areas which cannot
otherwise be used
- Growing forage crops improves the crop rotation, the diversification
and balance of the farming system
- They may be for draught purposes
- They can utilise by-products from agricultural production
- They contribute to higher yields
- The basis for natural ecological balances in livestock production
is a harmonious relationship between the crop production and animal
husbandry. This is achieved by a combination of :
- Establishing as much self-sufficiency of manure and animal feed
on the farm unit as possible through specifying maximum stocking
ratios.
- Converting plant protein and energy into animal protein and
energy brings about losses during the metabolic process. For this
reason, crop production for human nutrition and that for animal
nutrition should generally be balanced.
- The basis of processing organic products is that its vital qualities
are maintained throughout each step of the process. This is achieved
by a combination of:
- Choosing and developing methods which are adequate to the specifics
of the ingredients
- Developing standards which emphasise careful processing methods,
limited refining, energy saving technologies, minimal use of additives
and processing aids etc.
- The production and handling of organic products should seek to minimise
the environmental degradation. This is achieved by:
- Developing standards which encompass waste management, packaging
systems and energy saving systems in processing and transport
- Products produced and processed in a traditional way by indigenous
and/or traditional groups can be certified as organic, provided
that the sites are subject to a normal annual inspection and production
and / or processing are in accordance with the principles in the
Basic Standards
|
|
| With special thanks to Eric Booth at the
Soil Association for providing this information: |
| |
Soil Association
Bristol House, 40-56 Victoria Street,
Bristol BS1 6BY
T: 0117 929 0661
F: 0117 925 2504
www.soilassociation.org
|
|
|
