What is Organic Agriculture?
Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It emphasizes the use of management practices in reference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. This is accomplished by using, where possible, agronomic, biological, and mechanical methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfill any specific function within the system. (FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, 1999).
Download PDF to print Using tools that mimic nature, organic farmers enhance the health of their environment, resulting in pure and nutritious food. Organic agriculture uses an array of cultural and biological practices to build soil fertility, manage weeds and pests, enhance recycling of nutrients and increase biodiversity. Rather than substituting approved inputs for nonapproved inputs, organic farmers continuously improve their farm system by building and balancing their soils that then produce vibrant crops and robust livestock. Organic certification verifies growers’ and processors’ compliance with USDA regulations, with annual inspection and review. Organic Production Organic production systems emphasize proactive, knowledgebased management, on-farm resources and recognition of our interdependency with nature. Diverse crop rotations interruptinsect, pest, disease and weed problems, reducing the need for off-farm inputs. Using the wisdom from centuries of agriculture along with th
Organic agriculture is defined by the USDA (http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/standards/LabelReg.html) as a labeling term for products that: (1) Have been produced and handled without the use of synthetic chemicals, except as otherwise provided in this chapter; (2) Excluding livestock, not be produced on land to which any prohibited substances, including synthetic chemicals, have been applied during the 3 years immediately preceding the harvest of the agricultural products; and (3) Be produced and handled in compliance with an organic plan agreed to by the producer and handler of such product and the certifying agent Where is the Center for Organic Agriculture? The COA is an administrative unit with a small office in 3031 McCarty Hall D on the University of Florida’s campus in Gainesville, FL. How will Center for Organic Agriculture enhance UF performance? The center will improve UF performance through improving the capacity to1) meet organic production research and extension needs, 2) r
