What is organic food and agriculture?

Organic foods have gained immense popularity over the past two decades. Many people think that organic food is safer, healthier and tastier than regular food. Others say it's better for the environment and animal welfare.

Lately, we've been hearing some common phrases. Organic farming, organic nutrition, Organic baby products etc. What is this organic?

Of course, there are also Roaming Chickens, Unfortunately, chickens haven't been able to travel for years :)

Soil, which has been the symbol of fertility for centuries, is one of our most important sources of life. Our life and health are based on the balance of nature and soil. We can breathe and survive with the beauty that comes from them. The slightest harm to them is a harbinger of the changes that will occur in our body. In recent years, these differences in soil have always been on the agenda.

We have added words such as GMO, organic nutrition, natural life to the dictionaries. We met and welcomed foods that were quite foreign to us, such as quinoa, chia seeds, and avocados. Even when buying fruit, vegetables, chicken, eggs and even flour from the market shelves, we tried to buy the most organic and healthy ones. We started to think twice.

So, how did these new concepts enter our lives? What are the differences between organic and natural? Why are foods sold under the name organic so expensive?

In fact, everything started when nature and soil began to be damaged and the ecological balances changed. Afterwards, we frequently used the words "organic agriculture, organic nutrition". Sections where organic foods are sold began to appear on the market shelves.

Televisions, magazines, celebrities… They all told us about the importance of organic life. But for people with an average income, eating organic has always been a pocket-friendly thing. So what was "organic agriculture, organic food"? There are many definitions of this concept, which is actually on our agenda.

According to the definition made by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic farming; “Organic agriculture is a production system that prohibits or largely avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators and animal feed additives.”

In the continuation of the definition, we come across the following phrases: "Organic farming systems are used to cultivate the soil as much as possible and protect its fertility, to provide plant nutrients, to control harmful insects, weeds and diseases, to alter food, plant residues, animal manure, legumes, green manuring, It is based on organic farm residues and biological pest control processes.”

As seen in this definition and all other definitions on organic, the perception of sustainability is one of the most striking points. Over the years, the deterioration of the soil and ecological balance with chemicals and various other factors has also affected sustainability. For this reason, it can be said that organic agriculture is an economically and socially balanced agricultural system that aims to protect the ecological balance in the long term while ensuring sustainability and productivity.

Organic foods are also called foods produced within this system. The most important feature of the foods is that they are grown without the use of any synthetic pesticides or inorganic fertilizers. It is based on feeding animals with organic feeds in an organic environment.