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Tristan Wallin
Mrs. Ludwig
English 101, MW 11:00-12:20
25 April 2016
The Way of the Past & The Way of the Future: Organic
Organic, in terms of food and farming, is described by Merriam-Webster as food being
grown or made without the use of artificial chemicals (organic). For thousands of years
humans practiced traditional farming, which is essentially organic farming without the title, but
the first use of the words organic farming came from Lord Northbourne, or Walter James. In a
book about farming in the nineteen forties, he used the word organic, associated with life, to
describe a new type of farming in comparison to the new wave of chemical farming. Norbourne
also stressed the importance of organic farming on nature, not just the consumer by [calling] for
a return to a system of looking at the land as a living organism (Platt). Interestingly, despite
Norbournes association with the origin of the word, Sir Albert Howard is the most frequently
associated with establishment of organic farming.
Howard believed that industrialized agricultures increased yields and greater labor
efficiency would inevitably lead to diminishing returns, particularly in the nutritional attributes
of the crops and livestock it produced (Keating). Ultimately, Howard was before his time in that
he realized that inorganic agriculture is not sustainable for people, farms, or the foods the farm
produces. However, despite Howards efforts, Americas post WWII era of industrialization
ushered in a new age of agriculture infamously known as the Green Revolution, responsible
for inventions like the use of chemicals to kill pests and the development of hybrid plants. These
advancements were largely seen as a godsend as fewer farmers began to feed more people.

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The organic movement was largely dormant until Rachel Carson and published Silent
Spring in 1962 which described the disastrous effects of DDT. Through her work, Carson
launched both the mass organic movement and the sweeping environmental consciousness of
the 1960s (Keating). Carson is indescribably important in bringing in the modern era of organic
farming; if Howard was the saint of organic farming then Carson would be the spark (Keating).
The federal government and the Department of Agriculture became involved by creating the
Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990 which remains the legal foundation of the
federal regulations governing organic food (Keating). Organic farming since its conception in
1940 has evolved and endured into the modern age as concerns grew and continue to grow over
other harmful, non-sustainable farming methods. In the effort to supply increasingly healthy and
nutritious food to the American public, the word organic has led to a massive impact on not
only the foods we buy but also how food is made and marketed to the public.
A buzzword like organic has had numerous effects on both farms and the consumer
population. First, growers on certified organic farms benefit from lower input costs, and the
added value that comes with the organic label. Since organic farms are in fact organic they do not
incur the use of expensive agrichemicals (Advantages.Effects). Instead, soil is aided by
more environmentally alternatives such as composting or natural fertilizers, like manure. Also a
farmers organic crops are usually more drought tolerant compared to other non-organic crops
because the use of artificial fertilizers is largely reliant on an abundance of water which hurts
both farms and the environment (Advantages.Effects). In addition, organic crops are
currently sought after more than ever, and the potential for profit is definitely a motivation for
growers of organic crops. Organic growers must also endure smaller crop yields, which makes it
difficult to compete with the chemically-laced crops produced by industrial farms. However,

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despite the smaller crop outputs, organic farming benefits food production without destroying
our environmental resources, ensuring sustainability for not only the current but also future
generations (Advantages.Effects). Farms have endured several ripple effects as a result of
the resurfacing of the organic movement.
Consumers of organic foods typically are forced to weigh the most positive and negative
effects of organic foods: nutrition and price. Supporters of organic products like to note the many
health benefits of organic foods. For example organic food is free of contamination with health
harming chemicals such as pesticides, fungicides and herbicides (Advantages.Effects).
These chemicals are often speculated to have a connection to the rising cancer rates around the
globe. Supporters would also cite that organic food simply tastes better because the natural
nourishment of plants results in a higher sugar content (Advantages.Effects). However,
skeptics would counter by questioning the true worth of organic food. Noting that although
organic farms do not use artificial chemicals, [turning] to natural fertilizers for growing crops,
which often translates into using animal feces combined with other components (Butler). As a
result, harmful bacteria can be passed on to the consumer (Butler). Also the price is a concern.
According to a study by Consumer Reports, on average, organic foods were 47 percent more
expensive (The....Food). The decision to go organic is worthwhile but is not a decision that is
made easily because of the price and some health concerns.
The reintroduction of organic foods has not only shifted the way consumers view food,
but how consumers view nature. Organic food is now widely recognized as the most biodiverse,
sustainable, and responsible way to grow foods when compared to the environmentally harmful
strategies like monocropping used by industrial farms. Consequently, people have begun to
prioritize organic food in their diets in an effort to help the environment while eating more

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nutritious foods. Additionally, after the organic craze swept the nation, companies like Whole
Foods and Trader Joes effectively capitalized on this trend by offering consumers a variety of
organic, all natural products - for a price. Some consumers have simply been priced out of
organic foods, resulting in the haves vs the have nots. However as the industry continues to
expand, these healthier products may be more accessible to everyone sooner rather than later,
becoming a staple in the modern household.
My grandmother, as a lifetime farmer, has witnessed many of the old and new agriculture
trends in America since her birth in 1944. Growing up on a one hundred and forty acre dairy
farm in Northern California, the word organic was rarely mentioned. At the time, organic was
just a way of life. Farming was done for survival, not for occupation or recreation. Long before
the introduction of DDT and GMOs, the health of a farmers crops relied solely on the eternally
unpredictable ways of mother nature. The only foreign substance she remembers her father using
on the crops or livestock was fly spray. However, as the new age of farming approached, fly
spray began to evolve into harmful chemicals like DDT. In 1939, Paul Muller developed DDT,
the first of a new class of insecticides - chlorinated hydrocarbons to counter the pest problems
(Lok). After WWII the baby boom occurred, thus creating a massive spike in population and the
beginning of a food revolution, fueled by DDT. My grandmother, in the middle of her life, saw
this trend first hand on her own farm in Marsing, Idaho. Because her farm was now her source of
income, and the number of mouths to feed had expanded exponentially, she relied on the use of
DDT and other chemicals in order to ensure a plentiful harvest. At the time, before my
grandparents sold their farm, they were unaware of the dangerous domino effect that these
products would have on American agriculture. It was simply the difference between putting food
on the table or having no crops at all. Since that time, my grandmother has aged and has

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witnessed the reemergence of organic crops and ultimately, the shift back to the primitive
cultivation our country once knew. Now, as a consumer in the year twenty sixteen, my
grandmother has more freedom and knowledge when choosing food than she would have ever
thought possible. Organic farms and foods have never been more popular. In fact, according to
the results of a 2014 Organic Survey released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture the United
States sold a total of $5.5 billion in organic products in 2014, up 72 percent since 2008 (Young).
California is by far the most accountable for the percent of sales, making up about forty five
percent of total sales by itself. Besides the economy, nature also stands to benefit as a result of
organic farming. Farming practices like monoculture, the use of chemicals like DDT, and the use
of GMOs can slowly be weeded out with organic farming in an effort to nourish the health of
nature and consumers. Although organic food may not be the most affordable, buyers now have
the ability to choose to go organic when shopping at their local grocery market.

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Works Cited
"Advantages and Disadvantages Organic Farming: Its Pros and Cons." Fantastic Farms. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2016. <http://www.small-farm-permaculture-and-sustainableliving.com/advantages_and_disadvantages_organic_farming.html>.
Butler, Tamsen. "Negative Effects of Organic Farming." LoveToKnow. Lovetoknow Corp., n.d.
Web. 02 Apr. 2016.
<http://organic.lovetoknow.com/Negative_Effects_of_Organic_Farming>.
"Cost of Organic Food." Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports, 19 Mar. 2015. Web. 02 Apr.
2016. <http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/cost-of-organicfood/index.htm>.
Keating, Mark. "A History of Organic Agriculture." (2011): 1-25. University of Illinois, 2011.
Web. <https://web.extension.illinois.edu/smallfarm/downloads/51475.pdf>.
Lok, Esther. "History of the Organic Movement." The Organics Institute. N.p., 2016. Web. 02
Apr. 2016. <http://theorganicsinstitute.com/organic/history-of-the-organic-movement/>.
"Organic." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster Incorporated, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organic>.
Platt, John. "Who Invented the Idea of Organic Farming and Organic Food?" MNN. Mother
Nature Network, 4 Dec. 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.mnn.com/leaderboard/stories/who-invented-the-idea-of-organic-farming-andorganic-food>.
Young, Krissy. "Sales from U.S. Organic Farms Up 72 Percent, USDA Reports." Census of
Agriculture. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 17 Sept. 2015. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Newsroom/2015/09_17_2015.php>.