ORGANIC FARMING promotes the sustainable health and productivity of the ecosystem – soil, plants, animals and people. Organic foods are farmed in an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible way, focusing on soil regeneration, water conservation and animal welfare.

What it’s not…

Most people think of organic farming in terms of what is NOT allowed:

• Produce and grains are grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers or GMOs (genetically modified organisms)
• Animals are never fed the by-products of other animals, and are not kept constantly caged indoors, without access to fresh air, or opportunities to socialize with other animals Processed organic foods do not contain chemical preservatives or synthetic additives like colourings and waxes
  There are more “do’s” than “don’ts”.

But the fact is, simply removing agri-chemicals is not enough to turn a conventional farm into an organic farm. Organic farming is an active, labour-intensive process.

For example, ORGANIC FARMERS use quality compost, cover crops (such as nitrogen-rich alfalfa) and crop rotation to nourish soil naturally, and to allow it to rest and regenerate. Plants grown in healthy soil are better able to feed and protect themselves from pests and disease, which means they won’t require heavy applications of fertilizers and pesticides. The expression, “Feed the soil, not the plant” is a familiar refrain among organic farmers.

ORGANIC FARMERS are also careful about how they store and compost animal wastes, in order to safeguard air and water systems. They tailor their crops according to climate and soil, to optimise the natural growth cycle. Organic farmers also promote biodiversity, by growing a variety of crops, rather than one single crop. Through all of these methods, organic farmers prevent soil erosion, conserve energy, and help protect local wildlife, stream banks and watersheds. They help protect the global environment, as well: organic farming can greatly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, that contribute to global warming. Click here to read a global report on The Role of Organic Agriculture in Mitigating Climate Change. Organic farming helps prevent topsoil erosion, improves soil fertility, protects groundwater and conserves energy.

1. Animal-friendly farming.
Organic farming promotes the humane treatment of animals. Organically-raised poultry, cattle and other animals are fed a certified organic diet, free of hormones, GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or animal by-products. Rather than relying on antibiotics to reduce disease, organic farmers prevent disease by ensuring that animals have a healthy lifestyle, with lots of pasture, comfortable and spacious shelter, and opportunity for natural socialization. The result? Some certified organic milk cows have a life expectancy three or four times that of their commercial counterparts!

2. The History of Organic Farming
There is nothing ‘trendy’ or new about organic farming: it is the way we produced our food for thousands of years, until the very recent arrival of synthetic fertilizers and agri-chemicals in the last century. During World War II, in fact, two chemicals used in warfare – DDT and ammonium nitrate – were found to have agricultural uses, and became widely used as sources of cheap pesticides and fertilizer, respectively. At that time, farms became increasingly dependent on hybrid plants, mono-culture crops, large-scale irrigation, and heavy mechanization.

But as industrial-scaled, chemically-dependent farming grew, so did its critics. In fact, as early as 1920, critics of large-scale industrial farming emerged in England, and later in the US and Japan. The term “organic” began to be used more widely in the US in the 1950s by the founder of Rodale Press, J.I. Rodale. In Canada, the Canadian Organic Soil Association (later re-named the Land Fellowship) was formed in 1953, by filmmaker and popular educator Christopher Chapman. He produced two influential Canadian documentaries, Understanding the Living Soil and A Sense of Humus.

The popularity of organic farming principles surged in the late 1960s and 1970s, particularly with the 1962 release of scientist Rachel Carson’s ground-breaking book, Silent Spring, in the US. Soon afterward, the US government banned the use of DDT. Organic principles gained renewed focus within the alternative lifestyles movement, as people sought to reconnect with the land, and promote a more harmonious relationship to nature. Several more organic organizations formed around the world, including in several regions of Canada. By 1972, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), was established.

The late 1970s and 80s saw the formalization of relationships among organics farmers in countries such as England, France and the US. By the 1990s strong consumer demand for organic produce created the necessary impetus to establish standards for certifying organic foods.

3. Global Trends Today !
Today, organic farming is practiced in almost every country in the world. According to the 2004 report of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, more than 24 million hectares of agricultural land are now managed organically across the globe, particularly in Europe, Australia and North America. In 2002, the global market was estimated to be worth $23 billion USD. Recently, growth in the organic food sector has been highest in North America, and particularly in Canada. Agriculture Canada estimates that sales of organic products in Canada will continue to rise 20% a year until 2005. Currently, up to 80% of organic goods sold in Canada are imported. [Articles & Resources : http://www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca]

WHAT DOES "ORGANIC" MEAN ?

Growing food isn't easy. Farmers have to solve some big problems to make sure their plants can grow and thrive. They have to make sure the soil has enough nutrients to "feed" little plants so they will grow to be big, healthy, and good to eat. They have to control bugs and other pests that can attack and eat the plants. And they have to control weeds that can "choke" young plants by taking the space, sunlight, and nutrients they need to grow.

Most farmers in the United States are what we call "conventional farmers." They rely on synthetic (man-made) chemicals and fertilizers to grow their crops. These farming chemicals and fertilizers are not found in nature, and they often build up in the environment, polluting our water and soil. Most of these chemicals remain active for a very long time — long after their job is done. Although these chemicals can solve many farming problems, some of them are not healthy for the environment or for people!

WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT ORGANIC FARMERS ?
Organic farmers grow food differently from conventional farmers — we choose to use nature's ways of solving farming problems. We grow plants without herbicides (weed killers) or fumigants (soil sterilizers). All of our fertilizer (plant food) is natural.

Sometimes we do use some insecticides (insect killers) or fungicides (fungus killers), but only specific ones that are approved for organic farming. And we use them less often than conventional farmers use chemicals on their crops. Substances approved for organic farming are made from naturally-occurring ingredients and are less harmful to people, animals, and the environment. It takes a little more effort to grow food organically, but it's a good way to grow healthy, strong plants.

To enrich the soil, organic farmers plant cover crops, such as bell beans and hairy vetch, that make the soil richer as they grow and when they are tilled under. We also use compost, a natural form of fertilizer that comes from different materials that have rotted away and broken down. We keep pests and diseases away by rotating our crops, which means switching the location of plants each season. We also use natural insect repellents, and we bring in good bugs ("beneficials") that like to eat bad bugs ("pests"). We do most of our weeding with tractors, and also by hand with tools like hoes.

Even though it takes more work, we think farming organically is the healthiest choice. Organic farming helps keep our air, soil, water, and food supply clean. It also keeps the environment healthier for our farm workers and our neighbors. Organic farming helps make healthy food and a healthy planet!
[Articles & Resources : http://www.ebfarm.com]

WHY ORGANIC ?

Three Quick Reasons:
1. Tastes better.
2. Better for your body and family –
3. less pesticides, chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, health hazards, etc. and actually MORE vitamins, minerals and health benefits! Promotes farming practices that encourage ecological harmony and environmental responsibility.

Find out how delicious organics can be!
Thankfully, organic foods are coming down in price because of demand and interest in organic produce and products, and the growing farms who can supply us. It's best to buy seasonally for optimal taste and best price. Organic foods are produced without the use of chemicals, herbicides, fungicides, petroleum-, sewage- or sludge-based fertilizers or chemical pesticides. Organic food is not bio-engineered, genetically modified, nor is it irradiated. Poultry and Beef are fed only organic feed, are grazed on organically maintained pastures, and are not given antibiotics, hormones or animal by-products. Organic farmers are leaders and innovators at protecting our environment while protecting the crops naturally.

Conventional farmers use millions of pounds of pesticides each year, much of which ends up in our drinking water and oceans. Pesticides and chemicals kill off living things - bugs and animals that may eat the food as well as parasites and microorganisms. Pesticides deplete the soil so more chemicals are needed to fertilize and so the cycle continues. Pesticides are poisons. Most have the potential of causing cancer and are endocrine disrupters that mimic or interfere with our hormones. Pesticides cannot always be washed off the food, even with soap, as they are "ingested" in the plant through the roots and are actually in the body of the food.

Pesticides have a well documented and serious impact on our health.
Among the many adverse effects, pesticides:
1. compromise our liver's job of cleaning toxins from our body
2. compromise each cell's ability to produce energy and do their respective jobs in our body
3. compromise our nerves and their job of sending important messages in our body

In short, pesticides cause disease and death. That's their goal, to kill off the bugs and pests. But they are having serious impacts on the lives of humans and especially children. This is particularly important in the amounts and combinations of these pesticides that the children are eating since they are such picky eaters. The long-term effect of these pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemicals and the effect of the 'cocktail' of pesticide combinations effect fertility, development, health, and longevity.

Organic farmers work with the natural ecosystem to improve the soil and deter pests. They rotate crops between fields and have diversity in their farms; the conventional farmer limits crops and farming practices which depletes the soil's nutrients and leads to a real risk of crop damage from disease. Organic farmers plant certain flowers and bushes to attract helpful insects who will then eat or deter pests that might otherwise eat the crops; conventional farms kill off insects and pests, helpful and hurtful to the farmer. Organic farmers work with nature to replenish the soil, do not use toxic pesticides or fertilizers and maintain a biologically sustainable investment in our future. At home, our own yards can be maintained the same way.

Chemicals and pesticides kill off microorganisms and pests; this is causing new super resistant bugs and strains of insects and pests to be created; these super pests will need even more powerful chemical pesticides. The cycle is clear and the future is dim.

In addition, many of these microorganisms are helpful and are actually healthful. Discoveries of helpful bacteria that turn into cures for disease are found in dirt regularly around the world. We used to play in the dirt, dirt that was free of harmful chemicals and loaded with helpful microorganisms. As children this set up our immune systems to be strong. Children were healthier then.

The organic farmer works to create healthful soil. Worms and microorganisms work to keep the soil strong. The soil feeds the plant. Therefore healthful soil creates food with more nutrition. True, conventional food is devoid of harmful bacteria and bugs, but it is also lower in nutritional value and has less flavor. (I mean, if you're going to eat Brussels Sprouts because they're good for you, shouldn't you make it count?) Chemicals deplete the top soil and cause soil erosion which in turn offers less nutrition to the plant which in turn creates less nutritious food for us.

Healthy plants are also more disease resistant, are more drought resistant, create a better supply of food, create more nutritious food, and grow strong without chemical assistance. It all works together. Organic farming protects our water supply, our wild life, our families, and our future. Choosing organic foods is like voting to go back to a more natural and safer way of breathing, eating, and living.

Conventional farming overseas destroys rainforest. Forests are plowed to make way for planting, soil is eroded, chemicals and poisons enter our water systems. This affects habitats and wildlife. The impact is immense.

Conventional farming uses more fossil fuels and impacts global warming in many ways. Fossil fuels are used to create pesticides and chemicals. They are used to transport them to the farm. Micro-organisms that would otherwise hold carbon are killed releasing carbons into the atmosphere. Once the soil is depleted of micro-organisms, the soil must be enriched with chemical fertilizers which again take fossil fuels in creation and transportation. Conventional farms are more automated and use more fossil fuels generally. They have an over-abundance of manure since they are not using that so that is another issue which must be removed with fossil fuels. Organic farming uses up to 60% less fossil fuel per unit of food.

Chemicals are abundant and dangerous. The environmental impact is great and they remain in the environment for decades after use. When we look and see that organic foods are sometimes more than conventional foods, we need to remember the toll conventional foods are having on our world and our future. Organic foods are actually less costly when we look at the money it takes to fix the problems created by conventional farming. And yes, EVERY choice, EVERY person, EVERY item counts as a vote in the right direction.

Biodynamic Demeter supervised farming meets all organic standards and takes them even further. This system was created in ancient times to create healthful soil to withstand the test of time. Biodynamic farming takes even more time and money and therefore things cost more, but what it gives us is a true harmony with our land. It works with the plants, animals, and the environment to promote healthy soil and healthy plants.

Choosing organic produce and biodynamic products supports local, generally smaller, organic farms and the families who work those farms. Paying organic farmers in other countries a fair wage allows them to create strong communities, schools and help children and their families. In addition, and as you would guess, conventional farmers and the people that work in and around the fields (including the people that crop dust and spray the chemicals and pesticides) have a much higher risk of cancer than organic farmers. Pesticides can cause birth defects, cancer, nerve damage, impact our immune system, and disrupt our hormonal balance.

Organic certification confirms a set of standards:
Farmland used to grow the produce must be free of chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, etc) for at least three (3) years. During the three year period, they are considered "transitional" and before that they are simply conventional. there is a paper trail to make sure that product is indeed the organic product you expect.
organic poultry and beef are raised on organic feed or organically maintained pastures
organic cows and chickens cannot be given growth hormones, stimulants or antibiotics
organic dairy cows, poultry and cattle must be treated humanely with
clean water,
a clean place to sleep,
access to the outdoors,
exercise, and
fresh air

organic dairy pasteurization must meet hygienic standards. dairy cows may not be sold for slaughter as beef. beef is processed in a certified plant where organic cows are separated from conventional ones and the entire processing line must be cleaned to organic specifications for the organic ones no more than 5% of the ingredients (excluding water and salt) are conventional; or at least 95% of the product is organic as per the standards of certification organic products cannot use some organic and some conventional of the same ingredient. How to tell if it's organic in the store? Organic tags (PLU code sticker) on fruits and vegetables start with a 9 and have 5 numbers for organic fruits and vegetables while conventional ones have 4 numbers. GMO crops also have 5 numbers but start with the number 8 so be particularly cautious of those fruits and vegetables.

However, the term "organic" also makes us feel warm and fuzzy with images of happy cows in grazing fields cared for by people who love the land and are paid a fair wage. Now that the big companies see that their bottom line can be affected by organics, short cuts are being taken that technically meet the organic standard but do not comply with our understanding of organic.

Ideally, locally grown organic foods from a family owned farm is the first option we should always make. Locally grown foods use less fossil fuels to transport therefore meeting very essence of organic in keeping the world healthy and eliminating gas emissions. Living in the Pacific or the Midwest states makes that easy. Europe, New Zealand, Australia and other countries also have communities with plentiful local organics. It becomes more challenging for us when we choose to live somewhere tropical that doesn't support a strong healthy mix of livestock and vegetation. South Florida, for example, has unique challenges in eating locally, unless we want to live on avocados, coconuts, strawberries and tomatoes.

Our next question is of local versus organic. Sometimes local is better, however, remember that fossil fuels are also used in pesticides, herbicides, and the trucks needed to work a conventional farm, so local is not always a safer choice for our environment when organic is an option. Local from a farmer you know that isn't certified organic but practices organic standards of course is a better option than organic certified coming in from outside your area, but when you don't know the farmer or the standards, organic, even with transportation, can actually be a healthier option for ourselves and our environment.

We live in a highly mobile world. We can have asparagus in the winter. That can be fun, but it can also be distressing. While the United States produces many raw materials, these are almost always shipped off to China to create product, and then that product is shipped back here to be sold. Sadly, we are no longer self-sufficient. Many communities where we've chosen to live cannot feed us locally nor provide for our needs locally. Happily, we do have options. Choose products that are best for health and environment. Read labels and choose U.S. made products first, this includes food and nonfood items. That will lessen carbon emissions and conforms to our feeling on the definition of organic. Choose locally made first and then as close to home as possible. Choose natural nonfood products over plastic and man-made materials since fossil fuels are needed to create plastics. Choose organic cotton over nonorganic since that crop uses huge amounts of pesticides. Choose products with less packaging for the same reason, this includes food packaging as well as packaging for toys and other nonfood items.

When it comes to food, know who runs the farm, whether a small caring company or a large corporate office. The organic standard is a good guide, but it's not enough. Organic standards in some countries, China, for example, are suspected of erratic regulating. Big companies will do their best to cut corners to improve their bottom line. We must, as consumers, let them hear us with our dollars. Research big companies, their ethics and business, support stores and companies that are in line with your values as a consumer, for the earth and for your personal health.

Choose farmers you know that meet standards you support over the organic label. Choose grassfed beef over grain fed organic beef. Choose less processed foods over packaged and highly processed foods since those are better for our health and those use less fuels in creation and transportation. Local conventional farms cause havoc on our environment and stress on the animals. Many times, organic is the best option over local nonorganic food. Understand what you eat. [Articles & Resources : http://www.deliciousorganics.com]

ARE CHILDREN MORE VULNERABLE TO PESTICIDES ?
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recently issued its final draft of revised cancer assessment guidelines. This draft updates guidelines developed in 1986, based on new scientific understanding of how cancer is caused and the effects of cancer-causing substances on different groups, such as children. When finalized, the new guidelines will apply to pesticides and other chemicals that may be released into the environment. Government analysis on which the new standards are based shows the following:

1. Children accumulate half of their lifetime cancer risk by age two.
2. On average, children up to age two are 10 times more vulnerable to cancer-causing chemicals than adults.
3. Some cancer-causing substances are up to 65 times more potent for infants than adults.
4. Children from age 2 to 15 are 3 times more vulnerable to carcinogens than adults.
5. Children are exposed to more cancer-causing substances because pound for pound, they eat more food and breathe more air than adults do.
6. Children's bodies can't process or get rid of toxins as easily as adults.
7. Children's organ's continue to grow for years after birth and are easily damaged by chemicals in their food and in their environment.
8. Early exposures give cancers time to develop. Cancers are not caused by one event or one chemical; they grow over time. Over the years, new exposures may trigger cancers in cells damaged during childhood.

Source:
CHEC (Children's Health Environmental Coalition)// Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

WHAT ARE PESTICIDES ?

1. The term "pesticide" is presently used to describe a very broad range of agents designed to kill undesireable forms of life—pests.
2. Pesticides include agents for killing insects (insecticides), mites (miticides), weeds (herbicides), fungi (fungicides), and rodents (rodenticides).
3. Fumigants are another class of chemical pesticide used to kill a variety of pests in the soil (to kill disease-causing organisms) or in confined spaces, such as grain elevators and other food storage facilities.

HOW DOES ORGANIC FARMING SAVE MONEY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ?

1. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that cutting agricultural pollution could eliminate the need for at least $15 billion worth of additional advanced water treatment facilities.
2. Water utilities in Germany now pay farmers to switch to organic operations, because it costs less than removing farm chemicals from water supplies.
   See the full article at http://www.worldwatch.org/alerts/001209.aspx

Source:
Worldwatch Institute/ 1776 Massachusetts Ave NW/ Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-452-1999/ Fax: 202-296-7365

WHAT ARE THE LINKS BETWEEN PESTICIDES AND DIETARY FATS ?

1. Breast cancer has been linked to exposure to organochlorine pesticides. A DDT metabolite called DDE was found to be the most prevalent pesticide detected in breast biopsies. In women with breast cancer, DDT and DDE levels were especially elevated.
2. In Israel, after a reduction in allowable levels of DDT and related pesticides in dairy products, breast cancer deaths in younger women dropped by 30 percent.
3. A high-fat diet has been accepted as one of the major causes of breast cancer in women. Some researchers stress that the presence of carcinogenic pesticides, which concentrate in animal fats and are known to cause breast cancer, is the reason a high-fat diet increases the risk of breast cancer.
   Source: Epstein, S.S. The Politics of Cancer Revisited East Ridge Press, 1998.

HOW ARE KIDS EXPOSED TO PESTICIDES ?
A study conducted by the Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of Washington measured pesticide exposure of pre-school children in Seattle, Washington. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected from 18 children with organic diets and 21 children with conventional diets.

The study found that metabolite concentrations indicating organophosphorus (OP) pesticide exposure were approximately six times higher for children with conventional diets than for children with organic diets.

Diet, not environmental exposure, appears to have been the primary pathway for OP pesticide exposure for the children in this study. Results suggest that consumption of organic fruits, vegetables, and juices can reduce children's exposure levels from above to below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's current guidelines, thereby shifting exposures from a range of uncertain risk to a range of negligible risk.

Source: "Organophosphorus pesticide exposure of urban and suburban pre-school children with organic and conventional diets" Cynthia L. Curl, Richard A. Fenske, and Kai Elgethun, Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

CAN PESTICIDE EXPOSURE OCCUR BEFORE BIRTH ?

1. Almost all pesticides and other pollutants cross the placenta, the natural protective shield for the fetus.
2. Pesticides and other pollutants have been detected in amniotic fluid and body tissues of human fetuses even during the early stages of prenatal life.
3. Exposure to pesticides causes many health problems, including the risk of miscarriage.
4. The fetus is particularly susceptible to impacts of pesticides and other pollutants because:
5. its cells divide rapidly; its blood brain barrier is more permeable; and its detoxification enzymes are not yet developed

Sources: Nuriminen, T., "Maternal Pesticide Exposure and Pregnancy Outcome," J Occup Environ Med 37:8, 935-940 (1995). Jensen, A.A. "Transfer of Chemical Contaminants in Human Milk." In: Jensen, A.A. and Slorach SA (eds). Chemical Contaminants in Human Milk. Boca Raton: CRC Press, pp: 9-19 (1991). Office of Technology Assessment, (OTA) of the US Congress, Neurotoxicity: Identifying and Controlling Poisons of the Nervous System (1990).

DO PESTICIDES DAMAGE THE OZONE LAYER ?

1. Methyl bromide, a pesticide used to sterilize soil and kill insects in grain, is a major threat to the ozone shield, as documented in a report by the United Nations.
2. Each bromine molecule in the stratosphere destroys 30 to 120 times more ozone than does the comparable chlorine. Thus methyl bromide, which is released at levels comparable to CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), is more potent in destroying the ozone than CFCs.
3. It is expected that: ozone depletion may finally eliminate most life in polar areas; and ozone depletion will have a suppressing effect on the immune system of human beings.

Sources: "Stratospheric Ozone Depletion," United Nations Environment Program Report (1991).
Ozone Science, 255,952 (1992).

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TRUE COSTS OF CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE ?
The price of organic food reflects, more or less, the full cost of making it. The price of chemically grown food does not. Among the costs not incorporated into the bar codes that beep their way through the check-out lane:

• fertilizer-contaminated groundwater
• insecticide-contaminated fish
• herbicide-contaminated rain
• dead honeybees
• poisoned wildlife
• deformed frogs
• eroded soil
• toxic algal blooms
• ozone depletion
• antibiotic resistance

These are what economists call "externalities"—the costs of an activity that are borne by others. The bad thing about externalities is that they lead to market outcomes that are costly to society, even though the products themselves are privately profitable.

Cornell University professor David Pimental has estimated that the externalities of conventionally grown food cost more than $10 billion a year. This includes:

• costs of lost work caused by poisonings of farm workers
• medical treatments for pesticide-induced cancers
• maintenance of complex regulatory systems to monitor pesticide residues in everything from applesauce to lake sediments

Source: "The Ecology of Pizza (or Why Organic Food is a Bargain)," prepared for the Organic Trade Association by ecologist Sandra Steingraber, September 2003.

Through its holistic nature, organic farming integrates wild biodiversity, agro-biodiversity and soil conservation, and takes low-intensity, extensive farming one step further by eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which is not only an improvement for human health, but also for the fauna and flora associated with the farm and farm environment. Organic farming enhances soil structures, conserves water and ensures the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Organic agriculture dramatically reduces external inputs by refraining from the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, genetically modified organisms and pharmaceuticals. Pests and diseases are controlled with naturally occurring means and substances according to both traditional as well as modern scientific knowledge, increasing both agricultural yields and disease resistance. Organic agriculture adheres to globally accepted principles, which are implemented within local socio-economic, climatic and cultural settings. As a logical consequence, IFOAM stresses and supports the development of self-supporting systems on local and regional levels.

Agricultural contaminants such as inorganic fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides from conventional agriculture are a major concern all over the world. Eutrophication, the suffocation of aquatic plants and animals due to rapid growth of algae, referred to as "algae blooms", are literally killing lakes, rivers and other bodies of water. Persistent herbicides and insecticides can extend beyond target weeds and insects when introduced into aquatic environments. These chemicals have accumulated up the food chain whereby top predators often consume toxic dosages. Organic agriculture restores the environmental balance and has none of these or other such deleterious effects on the environment.

For further information on the environmental benefits of organic agriculture, follow the links on this page.
[Articles & Resources : http://www.ifoam.org]

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FOB PRICE TO MALAYSIA [PORT KLANG] - USD $ 3.10/KG
FOB PRICE TO SINGAPORE [SINGAPORE PORT] - USD $ 2.80/KG
FOB PRICE TO BRUNEI DARUSSALAM [MUARA] - USD $ 3.50/KG
MINIMUM ORDER 8000 - 9000 KG PER 1 X 20 FT CONTAINER.
FOB RATES CAN BE CHANGED WITH OR WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE !

OUR HEALTHY WHITE ORGANIC RICE WITH 5 KG OF BAG SIZE FOR ABOUT USD $ 8.00 IS ORIGINATED AND LOCATED FROM WEST JAVA PROVINCE SPECIALLY COMING FROM SUKABUMI, BANDUNG, TASIKMALAYA, CIANJUR AND BOGOR AREA WITH TOTAL 150 HA COLLECTIVELY AND CAN PRODUCE ALMOST 500 TONNAGE OF RICE.

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• TRADE MARK : JAYALAKSANA
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• TYPE OF RICE : AROMATIC
• SIZE PER PACKAGE : 5 KG
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OUR PRODUCTS HAD ALWAYS BEEN SUPERVISED AND UDERCONTROLLED BY ALIKSA ORGANIC SRI CONSULTANT [AOSC], ONE OF THE INDONESIAN NGO COMPANY WHO CONCERNED ON SRI METHOD ON DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANIC PADDY AND RICE AND HAD BEEN TRAINED AND EDUCATED FARMERS IN 16 PROVINCE WITHIN INDONESIA SINCE 2000. ANY RESPONSES FOR ORDER ARE OBVIOUSLY MORE THAN WELCOME AND MAKE CONTACT US FREELY WITH ;

Call @:
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-: Contact Details :-
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Jl. Pangeran Antasari No. 48, Cilandak Barat - Jakarta Selatan 12430, INDONESIA
Telp. : (62-21) 98299007 - Fax. : (62-21) 7691124
Email : ptgoldenarrow@gmail.com
Attn. : Boy Darmawan
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SRI ORGANIC RICE
System of Rice Intensification ( SRI ) is a rice plantation that intensively implements efficient and environmental friendly method. SRI method comprises of root system, transplanting, water, and soil management. SRI organic rice requires the usage of organic materials for environment sustainability and a better health impact for human.

8 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SRI
1. Seedlings selection
2. Seedbed preparation on fertile soil and mixed with compost
3. Transplanting the seed
4. Organic fertilizer
5. Weeding 6.Less watering
7. Pest management e.g. natural predator
8. Harvesting schedule due to perfect maturity level

ADVANTAGEOUS

1. Less Production CostLess water consumption (up to 46 %), lower seedling cost and shorter harvesting schedule. Lesser fertilizer budget as farmer could produce their own organic fertilizer from straw mixed with manure.
2. Environmental Friendly No synthetic and toxic materials usage as they could harm quality and structure of soil.
3. High ProductivityOn average SRI produces 10-12 tones rice grain per hectare.

PROGRESS IN INDONESIA
Founder of Aliksa Organic SRI Foundation, Alik Sutaryat, asserts there are around 10,000 farmers around Indonesia that implement SRI method in 13 provinces. Total existing SRI areas are 6,000 hectars. By far the government has provided technical assistance in terms of organic fertilizer production, training and also various empowerment programs in conjunction with donor country contribution. A case in point is Directorate General of Water Resources and Japanese government program in developing SRI areas in Indonesia.

TOWARD SELF – SUFFICIENCY IN FOOD
Medco Foundation and Aliksa Organic SRI Foundation have developed a pilot project of SRI method in Kademangan and Bobojong, Sub-District of Mande, Cianjur, West Java in total area of 7.5 hectares. Medco Foundation provided financial support, marketing and management assistance, whereas Aliksa Organic Foundation contributed technical assistance and training for the farmer.

Arifin Panigoro, Chairman of Medco Foundation, is looking forward to get government endorsement in order to enlarge the current civil society partnership model for SRI organic rice development throughout the country. The existing partnership model could improve farmer welfare and save the environment as consequences of SRI implementation.

Even more, in nation-wide scale, the partnership could become a feasible solution for current rice production deficit that estimated at 2 million tones per year. Such optimistic view derived from current SRI high productivity yields that record 10 – 12 tones per hectare. Given the latest calculation, Indonesia ‘only’ requires 400,000 hectares of SRI paddy fields to become a self-sufficiency country in rice production.
{Taken from Broshure of MEDCO FOUNDATION in Arrangement by ALIKSA OSRI}

1. Chemical Manure or Chemical Fertilizer or any Urea Fertilizer uses during old ones and continuously have been proven to cause destroying farmland in physical, chemical and biology. Land become solid, happened by the phosphate conglomeration and microbiological of land less be compatible. This matter is caused organic of land have declined and gradually unfertilized. Though organic substance of land represent the main key of healthy land in physically, biologically, and chemically. Therefore, strive to improve the healthy land have to be used the original products through awesome organic agricultures in order to get the healthy result of any kind of plantation vice versa.
2. Affect from the use of chemistry compound coming from chemical manure and pesticide products have given the result serious problem for human being of health. Others contamination as a result from chemical products to the land and irrigation structures also had been environmentally and systematically damaged and destructed.
3. Evaluated from the economic calculation matters, Inorganic Agriculture or to be known the use of Chemical Agriculture in the land use for more and more can not be justified because of the medium price of agro products which had been taken costly progressive and as a result to the farmer’s and gardener’s advantages more and more can be minimized or even lose.

THE BENEFITS USING ORGANIC FERTILIZER TO OUR ORGANIC FARMING

1. Improving productivity of agricultures farm.
2. Bringing back land fertility.
3. Costing effective fertilization.
4. Lengthening productive the age of crop.
5. Improving ability detain of water.
6. Improving circulation of oxygen.
7. Improving population of microorganism land.
8. Improving element nutrition.
9. Improving photosynthesis at leaf/leaves.
10. Lessening environmental contamination.

PRESIDENT OF INDONESIA MAKES STRONG ENDORSEMENT OF SRI

Presiding at an 'SRI Harvest Festival' in Cianjur district, West Java, on July 30, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made a strong statement of support for the spread of SRI within Indonesia and even the world, citing concerns about environmental quality and climate change as well as meeting the food requirements of a still-growing population. (See translations of Excerpts from the Organic SRI Harvest presided over by the Indonesian President and a Bahasa Indonesia report of the event on the president's website). The President was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Irrigation, whose respective ministries are now cooperating to extend knowledge of SRI to Indonesian farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture is funding farmer training in 39 districts in 14 provinces on organic SRI methods, both for the higher price that this rice can obtain in the market and for the more benign impact on soil and water resources. An interview with Shuichi Sato, team leader for the Japanese technical assistance team supporting SRI extension in Eastern Indonesia, appeared just before the event in the Jakarta Post.
Please Visit the Web for more information :
http://ciifad.cornell.edu/SRI/index.html
http://ciifad.cornell.edu/SRI/countries/indonesia/index.html

VIDEO:
President of Indonesia Makes Strong Endorsement of SRI
http://www.srivideo.zoomshare.com/

WHAT is SRI ?
[Source : WORLD WATER DAY 2006 FLYERS by NIPPON KOEI CONSULTANTS]

SRI is an innovative paddy cultivation method capable of attaining High paddy yields with lower resource utilization of such inputs as water, fertilizer and soils. SRI methods alter how farmers manage their plants, soil, water and nutrients in order to promote root growth and increase the abundance and diversity of soil organisms that enhance plant productivity. This reduces water use and production costs.

SRI is a methodology for increasing the productivity of irrigated rice by altering conventional methods and techniques for managing plants, soil, water and nutrients. SRI practices contribute to both healthier soil by nurturing soil microbial abundance and diversity, and plants that are supported by greater root growth. SRI does not require the purchase of new seeds or the use of new high-yielding varieties. Increased weeding is required, because paddy fields are not kept continuously flooded. But farmers report that with SRI methods, their rice plants are better able to resist damage from pests and diseases, reducing the need for agrochemicals if not making them unnecessary. Compost gives even better results than does fertilizer with SRI methods. With SRI there can be water savings of around 30-50%. SRI does require skillful management of the factors of production and, at least initially, additional labor input between 25% and 50%, particularly for careful transplanting and for weeding. Since yield increases average 50-100%, and may reach three times of present levels, returns to labor are very high since purchased inputs are not needed and the profitability of rice production is increased substantially. As farmers gain skills and confidence in SRI methods, labor inputs decrease to levels similar to its not lower than conventional rice-growing methods.
[Source : WORLD WATER DAY 2006 FLYERS by NIPPON KOEI CONSULTANTS]

BASIC CONCEPTS OF SRI
[Source : WORLD WATER DAY 2006 FLYERS by NIPPON KOEI CONSULTANTS]

Unique Transplanting Method
Transplant seedlings at a younger age (before 14 days age) which preserves the original seeds nourishment potential by around 40-50%, and thereby optimizes the potential for tillering and root growth; Transplant a single seedling at each hill with wider than normal spacing (30 x 30 cm or more) to provide room for profuse root and tiller growth by allowing the plant to monopolize both soil fertility and sunshine energy.

Unique Water Management
Apply intermittent irrigation periodically to keep the soil both moist and periodically aerated at least during the vegetative growth period. Aeration of soils provides aerobic and anaerobic bacteria an opportunity to contribute to plant growth. Consequently, the growing paddy stalks are durable against wind and pests, and irrigation demand decreases by 30-50%.

SRI in Indonesia
[Source : WORLD WATER DAY 2006 FLYERS by NIPPON KOEI CONSULTANTS]

Initiation by Sukamandi Rice Center
In 1999, the Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (AARD) began to test and evaluate SRI methods at its rice center in Sukamandi, West Java. It was reported that the result of paddy yields was 6.2 t/ha compared with a control yield of 4.1 t/ha. In the next wet season, the SRI average was 8.2 t/ha, with one plot reaching 9.2 t/ha.

Ministry of Agriculture
During 2002-2004, the Ministry of Agriculture promoted a new program called “ Improvement of Farm Intensification Quality (PMI)” for 200 locations (one in each district) in 29 provinces, aimed at increasing farmer’s incomes and strengthening farmer group activities. The scope of the program consisted of : (i) provision of farm inputs, hand tractors, and farming capital via a revolving credit fund to the farmer groups, and (ii) introduction of new farming technology under the Integrated Crop Management and Development Program (PTT) which included the SRI method as a core technology. The PTT included full support for farm inputs an was carried out in 5 ha each at the above 200 sites.
[Source : WORLD WATER DAY 2006 FLYERS by NIPPON KOEI CONSULTANTS]

West Java by SRI Experts
In West Java, SRI was first practiced in 2000 by influential agronomist/farmers in Kabupaten Ciamis, West Java. Since 2002, as a part of PU’s program to strengthen WUAs, SRI training for farmers has been continued in Bandung. The planting area of SRI has expanded steadily in West Java province. In 2005, the total area of SRI in West Java reached 570 ha (3,000 farmers). Furthermore, the whole of the SRI area in West Java has used organic manures (no chemical fertilizer use) arranged by farmers.

Eastern Indonesia by DISIMP
In the eastern region of Indonesia, since 2002, SRI methods have been tested and demonstrated in irrigation schemes completed under DISIMP (JBIC Loan) to help promote irrigation improvements and to strengthen farmer groups. SRI areas expanded from 2 ha (6 farmers) in 2002 to 15 ha (32 farmers) in 2003, 365 ha (347 farmers) in 2004, and 982 ha (1,464 farmers) in 2005.
The average yield of paddy (dried un-husked rice) for SRI was 7.2 t/ha, which was 84% higher than conventional paddy cultivation of 3.92 t/ha as shown in the table below.

Lessons Learned on SRI in DISIMP

1. SRI methods can offer higher paddy yields with lower production costs (seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides), therefore generating higher profits to farmers.
2. The labor burden is increased with SRI, at least initially. However, farmers can accept this due to positive incentives arising from the higher productivity of SRI.
3. Higher paddy yields can be obtained with SRI without using organic fertilizers, i.e., with reduced chemical fertilizer use. Organic fertilization should be regarded as a desirable option but not as a prerequisite to practice SRI.
4. SRI cultivation saves water by lowering crop water requirements by 40% (variable by soil and field conditions) through application of intermittent irrigation. However, farmers will never agree to let their fields dry out without being confident of having reliable and assured access to water sources.
5. For successful SRI, the involvement of local government offices and experts is necessary for provision of good technical support and advice.
   

Mentan, "Memberikan Penghasilan Lebih Baik Bagi Petani"
CIANJUR, (PR).-Menteri Pertanian mengharapkan harga beras yang berasal dari tanaman padi organik diberikan harga premium agar merangsang para petani mengembangkan tanaman yang ramah lingkungan. "Harganya harus lebih mahal karena termasuk kualitas premium," ujar Menteri Pertanian, Anton Apriyantono, dalam Panen Bersama Padi dengan metode Sistem of Rice Intensification (SRI) di Desa Bobojong, Kec. Mande, Kab. Cianjur, Senin (30/7).

Panen bersama itu juga dihadiri Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Menteri Sosial Bachtiar Chamsyah, Menteri Riset dan Teknologi Kusmayanto Kadiman, Menteri Pekerjaan Umum Joko Kirmanto, Menteri Usaha Kecil Menengah Suryadharma Ali, dan Direktur Utama Perum Bulog Mustafa Abubakar.

Anton mengharapkan, harga premium yang bisa diberikan untuk beras organik dipatok pada Rp 10.000,00/kilogram atau jauh lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan harga kualitas medium yang mencapai Rp 4.600,00 - 5.000,00 per kg. " Swalayan sudah banyak yang menawarkan menjual beras organik," katanya.

Menurut Anton, dengan harga beras organik yang lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan beras anorganik diharapkan mampu memberikan tingkat penghasilan yang lebih baik bagi para petani. Sehingga, minat petani dalam mengembangkan jenis tanaman padi itu dapat lebih tinggi. Apalagi, selama ini telah beredar anggapan yang menyatakan bahwa masyarakat akan memperoleh beras yang lebih sehat jika mengonsumsi beras organik. Bahkan, Mentan mengimbau produksi beras organik yang salah satunya dihasilkan menggunakan metode SRI dapat diupayakan untuk tujuan ekspor.

Untuk itu, Departemen Pertanian (Deptan) saat ini terus berusaha mencari sejumlah eksportir yang mau memberikan harga beras organik lebih tinggi. "Kalau itu bisa dilakukan, beras organik ini bisa berkembang," katanya.

Untuk mendukung peningkatan harga beras premium, Anton mengungkapkan Deptan akan menyusun sebuah standar sertifikasi untuk produk-produk pertanian dari bahan-bahan organik dan anorganik. "Sertifikat sebenarnya sudah dimulai dan bukan hanya terbatas pada organik dan anorganik. Namun terus terang, semua itu belum bisa secara luas diberikan karena jumlah petani di Indonesia sangat besar," kata Anton. Ia menambahkan, Deptan juga akan memberikan fasilitas kepada perusahaan atau lembaga-lembaga yang akan meminta sertifikat dari produk beras yang diklaim berasal dari padi organik.

Hemat Air
Sementara itu, Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono mendukung penuh rencana pengembangan 10 ribu hektare lahan padi System of Rice Intensification (SRI) organik oleh Medco Foundation. "Padi SRI organik ini adalah contoh nyata dari pembangunan berkelanjutan yang ramah lingkungan sehingga harus diterapkan seluas-luasnya," kata Presiden.

Dari sisi ketersediaan air, misalnya, Presiden menjelaskan padi SRI organik terbukti hemat air. "Metode ini telah menjadi solusi dari bercocok tanam yang hemat air dengan produktivitas tetap berlimpah," sambung Presiden. Lebih dari itu padi SRI organik tidak memerlukan pupuk nonorganik sehingga dapat membantu ikhtiar kita untuk menghemat gas yang selama ini diperlukan untuk pembuatan pupuk.

Juga penting untuk dicatat bahwa metode penanaman SRI ini dapat membuka solusi untuk mengatasi problem sampah di kota karena bahan organik dari sampah dapat digunakan sebagai kompos yang bermanfaat untuk budi daya padi SRI organik. "Mari kita kembangkan padi SRI organik seluas-luasnya," kata Presiden.

Pendiri Medco Foundation, Arifin Panigoro, dalam kesempatan yang sama mengutarakan rencananya untuk mengembangkan 10.000 ha lahan padi SRI organik di Indonesia. "Kegiatan ini merupakan komitmen kami terhadap pengembangan alternatif solusi swasembada pangan sekaligus meningkatkan kesejahteraan petani," kata Arifin.

Optimisme Arifin antara lain berangkat dari tingkat produktivitas padi SRI organik yang mencapai kisaran 10 - 12 ton per hektare. Berangkat dari kalkulasi itu, Arifin memperkirakan dibutuhkan hingga 400 ribu hektare lahan padi SRI organik untuk menutupi defisit produksi beras nasional yang mencapai 2 juta ton per tahunnya. "Perlu kerja keras dan kerja sama antarmasyarakat madani (civil society) dengan dukungan pemerintah agar cita-cita membangun 400 ribu hektare lahan padi SRI organik tersebut dapat terwujud," kata Arifin.

Sebagai tindak lanjut, Arifin menggandeng BRI, Bank Agro, dan Bank Saudara untuk terlibat dalam tahap pertama berupa projek pengembangan 10.000 ha lahan padi SRI organik. Besaran dana yang diperlukan mencapai Rp 100 miliar. "Di antaranya untuk melatih para petani agar paham bercocok tanam metode SRI organik hingga akses ke pasar," sambungnya.

Panen di Desa Bobojong merupakan tahap awal dari lahan percontohan penanaman padi ramah lingkungan oleh Medco Foundation. Untuk melaksanakan kegiatan ini Medco Foundation bekerja sama dengan Dewan Pemerhati Kehutanan dan Lingkungan Tatar Sunda (DPKLTS) pimpinan sesepuh Jawa Barat, Solihin G.P., dan Yayasan Aliksa Organik SRI. (A-80)***
http://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/cetak/2007/072007/31/0601.htm
Edisi Cetak - Selasa, 31 Juli 2007