How do organic farms deal with pests?
Organic farmers aim to make their soil healthy and fertile, and they grow a mixture of crops. They hope this will attract a wide variety of insects – such as ladybirds – and other wildlife which will benefit the crops by acting as natural predators on pests. Earthworms, and other very small animals or insects – micro-organisms – keep soil healthy. What are the benefits of organic farming? The Soil Association – which controls organic farming – believes that this type of farming is important for the well-being of animals, the environment and humans alike. Organic animals can graze in fields, are provided with comfortable bedding and are not housed in cramped conditions. Surveys by government departments like the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) have shown that organic farming can be good for wildlife. This is because the chemical pesticides used in large-scale farming often destroy the useful organisms in the soil, and the helpful plants and insects as well as those wh
