The Benefits Of Feeding Your Baby Organic Food

Parents want the best for their babies; and when it comes to feeding them, they want to feed them the healthiest food on the market. With that said, it is not surprising that many parents are turning to organic food for their babies. There is a vast array of benefits in feeding babies organic baby food, and this article explains a few of these terrific benefits.

Probably the biggest reason why food that is organic has become a popular choice among consumers is that it does not contain any pesticides or chemicals. Farmers of organic foods grow their produce without using any chemicals that most traditional farmers use. Their main goal is to grow vegetables and fruits that are not chemically altered. Agricultural, organic farmers, whom raise animals for meat or dairy products, feed their animals with strictly organic products, using no chemicals or supplements.

Adults are not the only ones whom can benefit from eating all-natural foods. Babies can benefit from eating organic foods, as well. When babies become old enough for their parents to feed them solid food, their pediatricians often tell the parents to introduce the foods to the infants one by one and watch for any possible, food allergies. The best thing about these types of foods is that since farmers do not use harmful chemicals to produce them, organic foods are virtually allergy-free.

Another terrific reason parents should feed their babies organic food is because since it does not contain chemicals, it is also beneficial to the environment. When parents feed their infants baby food that is organic, they can feel proud that they are looking out not only for the health of their babies, but the welfare of the environment, as well.

Parents can easily find organic food for their babies by looking in their local grocery stores or health food stores. If they cannot find it in a store near them, they can easily order the food online. There is a vast array of websites that offer baby food that is organic, and they will quickly deliver it to people's homes.

In conclusion, more and more people, today, are choosing to feed their babies organic baby food. There are many benefits to eating organic foods including health benefits and the fact that it is environmentally safe. When parents feed their babies all-natural foods they are not only protecting the health of their babies, but they are helping the environment, as well.

Megan Perry is a writer who enjoys sharing her experiences, knowledge, and advice on a number of different subjects. For more information about baby food, Healthy Happy Life gives readers instructions for making their own organic baby food.

An In-Depth Look on Why Organic Food Is a Hot Trend

Eating organic is currently the hottest trend that hit food during the last few years. With people growing largely concerned with health issues arising from genetically altered food, people are resorting to a more natural approach to get their food. Couple that with rising ethical issues regarding the treatment and future viability of both plants and animals, and the call for an organic approach doesn't only have the support of dieticians, but also of environmentalists. But a big question begs to be answered. In this article, we'll try to look in-depth on why organic food is a hot trend and if it deserves to get all this hype.

There are so many ways to answer that question, to be honest. But arguably, you cannot see the reasons why organic food is a great option moving forward if you don't know what being organic actually means. That's where you'll have to define what organic food is. To make it short, organic food is defined as food, regardless if the source is plant or animal, which is prepared using purely natural methods. As a rule, the methodologies of cultivating these food sources should closely approximate that found on their natural habitat, or at least make a close resemblance to it.

There are so many reasons why organic food was created. And the satisfaction of each of those reasons is the central root for both its notoriety and long-term viability. First, let's take a look at the notoriety part. When taking a look at the labels of organic foods, the first thing that jumps into you is them mentioning that there's no toxic substances contained in these products. That is actually true. For plants, that means food is devoid of traces of fertilizers and pesticides. As for animals, that means food is devoid of hormones and artificially modified feeds. It's already widely documented how these man-made substances ultimately reduce the quality of food that goes to everyone's table. So eliminating these substances can simply be considered as a very welcome improvement.

As for why organic food presents long-term viability, it would be best to take a look at farming at a biological perspective. In a way, it can be said that a farm is a form of an ecosystem. And when harmful materials are placed in an ecosystem, then that should compromise the health of the organisms living there, right? Actually, it does more than that. Fertilizers and pesticides not only have the potential of poisoning both plants and animals, but they also damage both soil and water systems. Also, some of these man-made formulas can significantly alter an organism's genetic structure, causing some unwanted and even fatal consequences. Removing these man-made substances from the farm system should at the very least increase the survival chances of these plants and animals, right? Not only that, it assures farms that they'll still be viable for years, decades, and even millennia.

Those are just some of the reasons why organic food is becoming the biggest trend in food systems. It goes beyond just putting high-quality food into the table. Organic methods of food production ensure that our ecosystem can provide sufficient high-quality food to our tables well into the future.

Are you looking for more information regarding why organic food? Visit http://www.whyorganicfood.org/ today!

Why Food Which is Organic is Essential

1. Why are some plants and animals regarded organic?

Organically grown food, according to people's views, is food which has been cultivated and refined using natural means. While it is sound for the environment, organic food is also remedial for the people.

If crops and plants are cultivated with no fertilizers, artificial additives, synthetic pesticides and varied kinds of bio-tech, then they are classified as organic. If animals are fed with organic feed, not restricted to small regions for long periods and do not take antibiotics, they are then interpreted organic.

Every country uses its own standards to define what organic food is.

2. How do we determine if organic food is therapeutic for us?

Plants acquire increased vitamin and antioxidants to take care of themselves when pesticides are missing. If you want extra nutritional value you must ingest food which is organic as opposed to non-organic.

The human body sucks in very small levels of agricultural chemicals when we eat food cultivated in a non organic way. It is more dear to rear animals that are always being vaccinated because they acquire a small resistance to diseases.

3. Does the surroundings love food which is organic?

If you want clean underground water and richer soil you must create less toxic waste in the environment by growing food which is organic. Water pollution with pesticides is a peculiar subject in drinking water and is also known to kill aquatic life. Both water and air poisoning will ruin the interrelationship between living organisms.

It is also understood that food which is organic wants little energy since it solely relies on natural ways to develop. They also demand little packaging materials and therefore overall they produce less waste. Genetically changed plants and animals are non-organic species which could genetically spoil the naturally existing organic ones.

Well, there is some indication that genetically changed foods could produce more returns per hectare than organically produced food. The utilization of agricultural chemicals and substances is small for foods which are organic than for non-organic ones, even though the output per square meter is smaller.

4. Is food which is organic low-cost?

The high comprehended value of organically grown food makes it more costly than non-organic,because it is inexpensive to produce. A cost efficient method is to get your food which is organic directly from the farmer whom you acknowledge. Crops grown and animals reared under the best climatic circumstances may be of outstanding quality but cost more if they are being shipped from other countries. .

Foods which are organic are clearly labeled in some countries in a standard way and therefore easily discovered. Having enough knowledge of the local farming community means of producing organic farm products is vital in finding out that the food you are getting is unmistakably organic. It is still quite a challenge for customers to believe that the foreign food they sometimes acquire can be determined as organic and solely rely on the shop owners' trust.

Sustainable Food Trade Association Releases Its First Annual Sustainability Report

Portland, OR (PRWEB) March 01, 2013

According to a new report by the Sustainable Food Trade Association (SFTA), organic food companies are increasingly adopting a wide range of sustainability initiatives. Indeed, according to the first SFTA Annual Member Sustainability Report, member companies used less energy, created less waste, reduced their carbon footprints, and donated to the community considerably more in 2011 (the reporting year) than the previous year.

The statistics come from SFTA members’ annual sustainability reports. Under the premise that one cannot measure what one doesn’t know, organizational members sign a Declaration of Sustainability committing to strive for continuous improvement and to practice transparency in annually auditing their companies in the following areas: organic, distribution, energy, climate change, water, waste, packaging, labor, animal care, education, and governance. Each full member must submit a report addressing their progress in each topic area annually to SFTA.

“The 2012 member reports we received this year are full of inspirational achievements and marked improvements over the previous reporting year,” said SFTA Executive Director Nate Schlachter.

Some of the highlights of the report are:

Organic is a trend worth investing in. 100% of the reports included a dedication to organic agriculture, by either only selling/producing organic products or stating a goal to increase organic purchases or sales in the coming year.

Efficiency is driving reduced energy use. All reports stated a formal commitment to energy efficiency through policies and practices. In addition, 37% of members reported they have invested in onsite renewable energy generation.

Waste diversion rates from landfill increased. The average amount of waste diversion from landfills was 76%. This was an increase of 18% more being diverted over the previous year (58% diversion) as well as a 34% increase in members reporting taking action such as auditing and managing their waste streams.

Climate change abatement initiatives are front and center. 85% of the members reported investing in tracking and integrating carbon management into their business operations. This is a 25% increase over reports submitted in 2011.

Water use reduction is a priority for organic food companies. 80% of the members reporting are tracking and focusing on reduction efforts of water use in their operations. This is a 20% increase over the previous year.

Community investment is universal. SFTA members reported donating approximately $4.4 million in cash and in-kind donations. This is a 26% increase over the previous year. 100% of reporting members participated in charitable contributions of volunteering, cash or product donations.

SFTA is on a roll with its membership increasing substantially over the last several years to more than 60 companies today. Already in the first quarter of 2013, four new companies have joined the organization: Down to Earth Natural Foods, Earl’s Organics, Pacific Natural Foods, and Plum Organics.

“This is a telling sign that more organic food companies see the importance of formalizing their sustainability programs and pursuing sustainability collaboratively with their peers,” said Schlachter.

SFTA has also been active in creating sector working groups that will serve to further collaboration within the industry with like businesses helping drive sustainability throughout the supply chain. These working groups will develop feedback to the Metrics Review Process initiated by the SFTA Board of Directors in February, 2013. This process will analyze and strengthen the metrics for managing sustainability programs as well as measuring impacts to ensure that the organic food industry is taking strong and effective steps towards sustainability in their operations.

In addition, SFTA is driving the development of the Organic Labor Code of Conduct. Currently in the public feedback process, the voluntary Code includes clear standards for workers that protect their rights for working hours, wages and benefits, and health and safety, among others. Comments are strongly encouraged and due by April 15. Responses from the feedback will be announced in June 2013.

SFTA is hosting several seminars and webinars this year across the country to reach out to the organic food industry and provide hands-on training in a collaborative setting. Upcoming events include a seminar on the SFTA Organic Labor Code of Conduct at the Natural Products Expo West March 7, 2013.

About the Sustainable Food Trade Association
The Sustainable Food Trade Association is a trade association for the organic food industry that represents over 60 North American mission-aligned companies. We provide support to our members in implementing innovative sustainable business practices across the supply chain, from farm to retail. For more information, see http://www.SustainableFoodTrade.org.

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Organic farmer fears trend toward industrial model

Longtime organic farmer Carmen Fernholz frets that the movement could be pulling away from its roots.

“My fear is that organic food systems are moving too much to industrial models that conventional agriculture gives us, with larger and larger farming operations,” the Madison, Minn., farmer said.

It’s one of several themes Fernholz will deliver during his keynote speech this morning at the 24th annual Organic Farming Conference at the La Crosse Center.

The three-day conference, sponsored by the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service in Spring Valley, Wis., has drawn more than 3,000 farmers and organic advocates.

“The organic food system has to be an egalitarian food system — the people’s food system,” said Fernholz, who farms 400 acres in western Minnesota.

“We have to decide what size we want to be. My dad used to say, ’If you don’t know how big you want to be, you’ll never be big enough,’” he said.

If the system follows the industrial agricultural model, he said, “one of the consequences is it will deprive more people of the opportunity to be food producers.”

Although organic farming often gets a rap as being more expensive, “it’s easier to achieve a profitable bottom line, if you do it correctly,” he said. “You can get comparable yields, generally at more of a premium, and generally with less of a capital investment.”

Organic seeds are less expensive, and not buying pesticides and chemical fertilizers saves money, said Fernholz, an organic research coordinator for the University of Minnesota.

“I might invest $5,000 to $10,000 more in equipment” for increased weed management and tillage, he said, “but it will last five, 10, 15 years or more. If I spent $5,000 on herbicides, that would last for just one year.“

At market, he said, “Conservatively, my neighbor might get $14 for soybeans, and I could get $28. It’s a demand thing, and an incentive for organic producers.”

Even though organic food costs more at the retail level, it’s a good health choice for consumers, Fernholz said.

“From a young family’s perspective, the residues of toxicity are taken care of through organic foods,” he said. “I mention younger families because smaller children are more susceptible to toxicity.”

In addition, he said, “Some limited research indicates that organic foods have higher nutritional density.”

The conference attracted more than organic farmers and advocates, such as Patricia Hagen of Onalaska, a dietician with the Women, Infants and Children public health program in Monroe County.

“I wanted to learn more about the food and farming system and also have the opportunity to develop relationships with local farmers,” Hagen said.

Among other things, the WIC program provides checks to families so they can buy locally grown fruits and vegetables, she said.

“As a dietician, I believe strongly in knowing where food comes from,” she said.

As the debate over the cost of organic food continues, she said, “I think organic is becoming more mainstream, and more affordable.

“It’s also an investment in your health,” Hagen said. “It may not be your whole diet, but whatever you can, and it supports local farmers.”

Organic farms, by the numbers

With more than 1,200 certified organic farms, Wisconsin ranks second only to California, which has more than 2,700, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Washington state is third, at nearly 900, while New York is fourth at about 850, and Oregon, fifth at about 650.

A large portion of the Badger State’s organic farms are in the Coulee Region, with the heaviest concentrations in Monroe and Vernon counties, both of which have more than 60, according to the USDA’s 2011 National Organic Program data.

The program estimates that Jackson and Trempealeau counties have between 31 and 60 certified organic farms and La Crosse, between 11 and 30.

In Minnesota, Winona County has between 26 and 50 organic farms, and Houston County has between 11 and 25, according to the state agriculture department.

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Organic food benefits touted

In November 2012, California voters narrowly defeated Proposition 37 — a plebiscite that, if passed, would have resulted in mandatory labelling of genetically engineered foods in that state.

Opponents argued that such a measure would have added billions of dollars to food costs, without providing health or safety benefits. Proponents insisted that consumers have a right to know what’s in their food.

Weighing in with a $660,000 donation to the Yes campaign was Nature’s Path Foods, a Richmond, B.C.-based organic food company that shuns genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

“We think that when people know what’s in their food, they’ll make different choices than when they don’t,” explained Darren Mahaffy, Nature’s Path’s vice-president of marketing, during a presentation at Olds College on Wednesday.

“We know that they want it. We just need to convince government that it’s important.”

Speaking at Organic Alberta’s 2013 conference, Mahaffy said Canadian politicians are receptive to the idea of GMO labelling. But they’re worried that food prices would increase if such a requirement was imposed.

This would not be the case in the long term, insisted Mahaffy, explaining that farmers would simply switch to non-GMO outputs if consumers demanded them.

He also believes the public’s appetite for organic food would jump, bringing with it environmental and health benefits.

“Organics becomes the default safe place to go for consumers.”

Mahaffy also made the case that organic production can be more profitable for farmers than conventional crops.

Yields might be 15 per cent lower, but eliminating the cost of inputs like fertilizers and pesticides would result in a net savings of about $200 an acre, he said.

“When you do move the yield-relative-to-input calculations, boy organics start to look pretty good.”

A huge market potential exists, said Mahaffy, with consumers of all age ranges and income brackets already favouring organic foods.

Many of the attributes they look for when choosing grocery items — pesticide-free, antibiotic-free, few ingredients, no GMOs, no artificial sweeteners and limited processing — are directly related to organic production.

“Those are things that organic can own and differentiate from conventional products,” he said.

More retailers are stocking organic products, added Mahaffy, and consumers are rewarding them with their wallets.

One challenge facing the organic food industry is the public’s lack of understanding about the differences between “organic” and “natural” foods.

That’s because there’s no regulated definition of natural, said Mahaffy.

“This is a problem for us, because if consumers are thinking that natural and organic are the same, the input cost . . . for a natural product is almost exactly the same as for a conventional product, but they’re charging a premium. And the consumer is not necessarily getting the value that they think they’re getting.”

The Organic Alberta conference took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, with about 130 people in attendance and speakers discussing topics related to the production and marketing of organic crops and livestock products.

 

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Organic, locally grown food gaining ground in Iowa

Kathleen Stewart (left) and Emma Hornsby, both of Iowa City, choose organic potatoes at New Pioneer Food Co-op in Coralville on Wednesday. From 2008 through 2012, New Pioneer’s purchases from local producers increased 39.86 percent to nearly $1.7 million last year, New Pioneer marketing manager Jenifer Angerer said. (Kaitlyn Bernauer/The Gazette)

Though few hard statistics are available, Iowans’ appetite for organic food and locally raised fruits and vegetables appears to be growing.

“We don’t have real current and accurate data, but my sense is that, yes, we are getting more organic growers and more people raising food for local consumption,” said Maury Wills, bureau chief of agriculture diversification and market development for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Data for specialty crops “is just not there like it is for commodity crops such as corn and soybeans,” said state horticulturist Mike Bevins.

While the number of farmers markets in Iowa doubled from 2004 to 2009, more recent developments won’t be known until the next USDA farmers market survey is conducted in 2014, Bevins said.

“Specialty crops are a very important part of Iowa agriculture, as they allow farmers to diversify and give customers access to locally grown products,” Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey said Thursday in announcing the availability of $271,000 in grants to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.

The specialty crops segment is definitely growing in the Iowa City area, according to Jenifer Angerer, marketing manager at New Pioneer Food Co-op with stores in Iowa City and Coralville.

From 2008 through 2012, New Pioneer’s purchases from local producers increased 39.86 percent to nearly $1.7 million last year, Angerer said.

Local produce “is the fastest-growing segment of food production,” said Jason Grimm, food systems planner with the Iowa Valley RC&D in Amana.

Grimm said the Iowa Valley Food Co-op, an online network of producers and consumers in Eastern Iowa, has grown to more than 450 members since it was founded in August 2011.

Restaurants have also recently become an important outlet for locally grown produce, he said.

Grimm, who helps newcomers break into the business, said marketing is more difficult than production.

“You need to start lining up customers before you plant the seeds,” he said.

New Pioneer specializes in both organic foods, which are certified to have been produced in accordance with well-defined natural specifications, and locally grown products, which are often produced with similar care but lack the certification.

‘Fresher is better’

Angerer said New Pioneer customers believe “fresher is better.”

In a farm state that imports 90 percent of the food its residents eat, conscientious Iowans worry about the carbon footprint inherent in transporting food great distances, she said.

They also believe that small-scale production, as opposed to industrial models, is friendlier to the environment, more sustainable and more accountable in an era of food scares involving pathogen contamination, she said.

New Pioneer buys from about 30 local producers with more growers applying each year, said Mike Krough, the company’s produce coordinator.

Maximizing locally sourced products is part of New Pioneer’s mission to support the local economy, he said.

Certified organic food — which can cost as much as one-third more than conventionally produced food — is a much bigger deal in Iowa City than it is in Cedar Rapids, according to Teresa White, farmers market coordinator for the city of Cedar Rapids.

“Iowa City people care more about how food is raised and will pay the price,” White said.

While Cedar Rapids residents value fresh, locally raised fruits and vegetables, they seem less willing to pay the premium commanded by organic produce, she said.

Locally grown produce is the biggest attraction at the new Downtown Farmers’ market, according to Jill Wilkins, who manages the market for the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance.

About one-fourth of the 220 vendors specialize in horticultural products, and they almost always sell out, she said.

Jim Fink, who has operated a 40-acre organic farm near Urbana for the past 20 years, said farming without chemicals is not all that different from the way his parents farmed.

Fink, who said he finds chemicals “disagreeable,” fertilizes his soil with manure from his organically raised livestock and controls weeds through crop rotation and mechanical cultivation.

Fink, who derives much of his income from the sale of beef and pork, emphasizes that his meat is not certified organic, but that is only because he cannot find a meat processor willing to invest the time and money in achieving organic certification.

Fink’s hogs and cattle eat only organic food, much of it produced on his farm, and they thrive without the hormones and antibiotics common to modern meat production.

“I sell it as ‘natural’ and set my prices at the higher end of the market,” he said.

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