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Why Choose Organic?

According to Encylopedia.com organic farming is the practice of raising plants--especially fruits and vegetables, but ornamentals as well--without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers.

 

Organic Food is Better Food.

 

Better taste. Better for the environment. Better for your health. By definition, pesticides are toxic chemicals. They poison the food, affecting its natural taste. They poison the environment (land, water, and local wildlife). They poison the people who eat them. There is only one way to avoid participation in this poisonous cycle: eat organic food.

Organically grown foods are grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or fumigants. In addition they are not irradiated or genetically modified organisms. Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Currently the EPA considers 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides and 30% of all insecticides to be potentially cancer-causing. In addition many studies have compared the nutritional value of organic foods to conventional foods with most reports favouring organic.

Organic Farmers use earth friendly techniques to grow produce that is safer and healthier. By utilizing such methods as natural fertilizers, crop rotation and integrated pest management organic farmers protect our food, air, water supplies and soil from pollution. Organic farming is also healthier for the farmers that work on the land. Organically grown produce is more nutritious and safer to eat, especially for children.

All of Brown Box Organics produce is Certified Organic by a third party organization in accordance with the USDA guidelines. Organic certification assures the consumer that the produce has been grown and handled according to strict regulations. This is your guarantee that you will receive the most wholesome chemical free seasonal produce available on the market.

What is Organic Agriculture?

Organic agriculture is a holistic system of production that takes farming back to basics. Organic farmers strive to incorporate practices that are mindful of their effect on the Earth to create a minimal adverse effect on the environment. Organic practices generally include growing food in harmony with nature, without the use of pesticides to create a community within soil organisms, plants, livestock and people. According to the National Standard of Canada, Organic Agriculture:

• Prohibits synthetically-compounded fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed antibiotics
• Prohibits use of ionizing radiation in the preservation of food
• Prohibits use of feed additives such as growth hormones
• Prohibits use of genetically-engineered or modified organisms
• Encourages maximum use of recycling

What are GMO's?

GMOs are 'made with techniques that alter the molecular or cell biology of an organism by means that are not possible under natural conditions or processes.' (Source: National Organic Standards Board). A GMO, or 'Genetically-Modified Organism' is a plant, seed or animal that has been modified by the intentional insertion of DNA. All living things contain DNA (strands of proteins that contain the genetic code, or blueprint, for creating an organism.

What is Irradiation?

Irradiation entails exposing food products to high doses of radiation in order to kill any insects or pests that may infest them. Irradiation reduces levels of salmonella, e-coli and listeria, and delays ripening and rotting so that foods can be completely sterilized and kept for longer periods. Irradiation damages foods by breaking up molecules and releasing tiny pieces of them, known as free radicals. These substances damage vitamins and enzymes, and also combine with existing chemicals (eg: pesticides) to form new free radicals, some of which may be toxic.

The long-term effects of these toxins have not as yet been studied. Also, irradiation destroys 5 to 80% of the health benefits of many vitamins and weakens or destroys the digestive enzymes in many foods.

What Does "Transitional Labelling" Mean?

Labels usually indicate the farmer has applied for Certification. Organic Certification standards are very strict, and it usually takes years for farms to achieve them, as all pesticide and chemical residue from the soil is slowly broken down and leached away. Farms marked as "Transitional" are farms in the process of getting their certification, but that are not quite there yet. Some think that it is very important to support these types of farms because they are going to great efforts to make a positive change.

What is Conventional Farming?

Conventional farming allows for the use of pesticides, herbicides, fumigants and other chemicals. Often the seed is genetically engineered and irradiation is allowed. This type of farming tends to deplete the soil of the essential nutrients for growth. The result is use chemical fertilizers to boost nutrient level of the soil. Pollution is high with this type of farming because of the use of chemicals. These affect our air supply and flow into our water system.