Do you really know what goes into your food? Or what long term effects farming has on the ecological harmony of the environment? Most people don’t and most people don’t truly know the benefits of eating organic food, besides the negative aspect of higher costs.

The quality of our food has decreased immensely in the last few decades. The use of pesticides and preservatives has increased and the levels of natural vitamins in our fruits and vegetable bear no resemblance to levels found 100 or so years ago.

Recent reports have proven that organic food contains approximately 50% more nutrients, minerals and vitamins than produce that has been intensively farmed. Organic food is also less likely to contain pesticide residues than conventional food.

When it comes to the taste, well, that is on an individual basis, but most people I know prefer food that tastes fresher and ripe!

According to an article in How Stuff Works by Robin Brett Parnes, MS, MPH, the USDA reports that organic food production allows farmers to lower input costs, decrease reliance on nonrenewable resources, capture high-value markets and premium prices, and boost farm income. Organic agriculture also has many important environmental benefits:

• It promotes sustainability by establishing an ecological balance to prevent soil fertility or pest problems.
• It enhances biodiversity, or the presence of multiple plant and/or animal species.
• Because organic agriculture utilizes practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, symbiotic associations, cover crops and minimum tillage, the length of time that the soil is exposed to erosive forces is decreased, which minimizes nutrient losses and boosts soil productivity.
• By not using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, organic agriculture reduces pollution of groundwater.
• Organic agriculture helps to minimize the greenhouse effect and global warming through its ability to sequester carbon in the soil.

I don’t know about you, but these facts alone definitely help me to make the decision to spend a bit more money and support the organic food movement. While it is easy to help this cause on an individual basis by supporting local farms and buying organic food, you may be wondering what is being done about it on an international level.

Well, organizations like IFOAM exist.

IFOAM promotes and facilitates the principles of organic agriculture worldwide and works to unite and assist the organic movement in its full diversity. Leading the organic movement worldwide, IFOAM represents and speaks for its broad constituency, including farmers’ organizations to multinational certification agencies.

Through international conferences, committee meetings, and other forums, IFOAM facilitates the ongoing dialogue about the future and status of organic agriculture and represents the movement at the U.N. and other intergovernmental agencies.

IFOAM also works to establish projects that help with the adoption of organic agriculture, particularly in developing countries, where often environment preservation is easily ignored.

Check out more details about IFOAM.

So, the next time you stop into Whole Foods and are debating whether to splurge on an organic piece of fruit, remember you are what you eat and by eating organic you are supporting a sustainable environment and creating a healthier future for yourself and the world.

blog action day, environment, global warming, IFOAM, organic agriculture, Organic food, organic movement, Robin Brett Parnes, sustainable environment, Whole Foods