Why should we choose Organic over generic?
Organic food is absolutely more expensive than the generic factory version. There’s no question, to shop organic will cost more money. But why? And what’s the actual difference?
What’s the difference between Organic and Non-organic foods?
Whole systems approach
Organics is not just “chemical free”. It is a whole systems or holistic means of growing and handling food. The whole system is linked – Soil. Plants. Animals. Food. People. Environment.
Friendlier
Certified Organic products are grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals, fertilisers, or GMO’s.
Innovative
Organic is an innovative method of farming and production – and is increasingly being recognised as being on the leading edge of food and fibre technology.
Market advantage
Educated consumers are happy to pay a fair price for the guarantee that the organic produce they purchase is supporting farmers who aim towards ecologically sustainable practices – looking after the environment we all share. The only way you can be assured you are buying genuine, organic products is to purchase those certified with Australian Certified Organic.
The ACO Certification Ltd BUD can only be used on packaging of products which have achieved certification through our certification scheme. Certified operators can apply to use the BUD on their promotional material to support their organic claims.
Organic foods are foods which have been produced in the way that nature intended. The foods aren’t jacked up with chemicals or genetically modified so that they grow 24/7 year round. They grow in season, like they should. And when you consume these organic foods, your human body in consuming exactly what it would have found in nature before farming was industrialised.
Why Choose Organic?
1. It is Nutritionally Superior
Studies show there is between 18% and 69% more antioxidants than food produced using non-organic methods. The soil, the compost, the water to grow these foods are all real and natural. Which results in the real whole food it is intended to be.
2. It is food you can trust
Organic food comes from trusted sources. Any food products labelled as ACO organic must meet a strict set of standards which define what farmers and food manufacturers can and cannot do in the production of organic food.
3. Artificial chemical fertilisers are prohibited
Instead organic farmers develop a healthy, fertile soil by growing and rotating a mixture of crops, adding organic matter such as compost or manure and using clover to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere.
As a result, organic farming reduces disruption to the natural environment and pollution.
4. Pesticides are severely restricted
Non-organic food production makes wide use of pesticides, to kill weeds, insects and other pests that attack crops.
These are severely reduced on organic farms. – Soil Association organic farmers are able to use just eight, derived from natural ingredients, but only under very restricted circumstances. This makes organic farms a haven for wildlife and provides homes for bees, birds and butterflies. In fact, plant, insect and bird life is up to 50% greater on organic farms.
5. Animal welfare is at the heart of the system and organic animals are truly free-range
No system of farming has higher animal welfare standards than farms working to Soil Association organic standards. As well as requiring that animals are genuinely free range, organic standards cover living conditions, food quality, the use of antibiotics and hormones, as well as transport and slaughter.
6. Protecting our soil for future generations to grow healthy food
Organic farming creates a healthy living soil. Organic farmers aim to select crop varieties with natural resistance to particular pests and diseases, with the aim of reducing or avoiding disease problems and the need to control them with chemical inputs. A mixed farming approach with crop rotations helps break cycles of pests and disease and builds fertility in the soil.
Summary -
Organic is certainly the preference for health, sustainability, environment and lifestyle reasons. But also organic is not readily available to everyone. And sometimes it's too expensive to purchase. So it's all about balance.
Fortunately with online store there is much more organic whole foods and produce available to people who previously would not be able to get it.
Organic farming is not as big as generic farming. Before an organic farm can even begin, the land which the farm is on needs to be certified organic. Plus maintaining the strict certification is expensive to do. There are many factors which play in to why the price is a bit more.
But, gratefully, organic farming is becoming increasingly popular. People don't want to be eating chemicals/pesticides on their vegetables at dinner. Most people can notice and prefer the better taste of the organic product compared to the jacked non-organic product.
As more and more people consume organic, it will become more popular for the farmers. It will results in more availability of organic whole foods / vegetables and therefor the prices will come down. It's supply and demand, just like when TVs first went flat screen and huge, they were thousands of dollars to buy. Now you can pick up the same tv for a couple hundred dollars.
Supply and demand. The next time you are at your grocery store or shopping online. Keep and eye out for organic. If you haven't before, try it. Every purchase of an organic product at your store is increasing the demand, which will increase the suppliers, which will bring down the prices.
Back to Blog