Beyond Organic Produce

The term organic was once a desirable word to hear when paired with food produce, healing products and cosmetic items, to name a few combinations. Unfortunately, it has been abused and misused to varying degrees that just about any manufacturer can slap on the label and take advantage of the organic bandwagon. And so, organic now may be losing its sheen, also no thanks to an increasing use of imported fertilizers to produce greater yields to answer the demand.

Fortunately, there is the trademarked biodynamic agriculture that provides a better way to go beyond organic farming. The trademark belongs to Demeter International – Demeter being the Greek goddess of the harvest – which is composed of over 50 member nations including the United States.

Demeter International is the largest certification organization for biodynamic agriculture, of which the certification issued must be renewed annually under the strictest of standards. The criteria for certification include but are not limited to biodiversity and ecosystem preservation, livestock integration, soil husbandry, and the prohibition of GMOs in the farm. Basically, the farm where the produce bearing the Demeter logo must be treated as holistic organism from the littlest of microorganisms to the farmers themselves.

With such stringent criteria, consumers are assured only of the highest-quality products manufactured using only the most organic methods. Yes, organic farming and biodynamic farming share many things in common such as the use of biological methods in regards to soil health, food quality and human treatment of animals as well as the use of compost, cover crops and green manures. But the similarities often end at these points. Biodynamic farming also has its major differences with organic farming such as the following:

Organic foods can now be produced with the use of imported organic fertilizers but biodynamic harvests rely entirely on the nutrient-rich soil.
Organic farmers are allowed to use imported organic pesticides. With biodynamic farming methods, however, the emphasis is on humus development to build up resistance against insects, pests and diseases coupled with balanced predator-prey relationships. There are nine prescribed preparations for stimulating humus development, which are designated by the numbers 500 to 508.

While organic farmers can utilize imported organic feed, biodynamic farmers must make their own livestock feed source at least on an 80 percent level. Biodynamic agriculture emphasizes biodiversity with at least 10 percent of the total farm area devoted to such a purpose. Organic farming has no such limitations on the farms.

Where organic farmers can have just certain portions of their farms and corresponding produce certified as organic while the rest may not fall under the category, biodynamic farms must be certified as such from one end to the next. Organic farmers will plant without regard to astronomical events. Biodynamic farmers will take into account lunar influences in deciding the best time to cultivate certain crops.

We now have a choice beyond organic produce. Biodynamic products are now more available in grocery stores and supermarkets. Just be prepared for the higher prices, which are 10 to 30 percent higher on average than organic produce. Then again, for the benefits of healthier food and a healthier environment, the higher prices are worth it.