Organic food is made by methods that avoid modern synthetic inputs. An archived article defined it as food produced without synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilisers, free of genetically modified organisms and not processed with irradiation, industrial solvents or chemical additives.
The hallmarks
- Safe and nutritious food. Organic farming aims to deliver wholesome food without adulteration.
- No artificial inputs. Artificial chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers are not used.
- A richer countryside. Hedgerows, field margins and varied crops are part of the picture.
- Wildlife and environment. Fewer chemicals can mean less pressure on insects, birds and waterways.
- Animal welfare. Standards set expectations about how livestock are housed, fed and treated.
- Less reliance on finite resources. Fertility is built with rotations and compost rather than manufactured fertiliser.
- Healthy soil. Soil fertility is regarded as the basis of the whole system.
- No GMOs. Genetically modified material is excluded.
How to read the list
These principles come from an advocacy site, so they describe aims rather than guaranteed outcomes. Independent studies of the environmental and health effects of organic farming report mixed results that depend on crop, region and method.
Related
Find out more about organic farming, certification and the range of organic products.