• More profitable: during the last 10 years most organic farm systems have been just as profitable as conventional, and in many cases more so.
• Organic marketing opportunities: expanding markets with premium prices are available for most organic products, whether supplying wholesale cereals and milk, on farm processing or retail sales such as box schemes
• Animal health and welfare: no intensive livestock and minimal use of antibiotics improves welfare and avoids the associated problems of antimicrobial resistance
• Farm environment: long term soil health, more wildlife and no personal exposure to agrochemicals

Further reading: Farm Business Survey 2018/19 – a summary from organic farming in England. Scott C. August 2020

Organic farming involves a system of farm management which is inherently more diverse; mixed arable and livestock, diverse ley and crop mixtures and with multiple enterprises. The practices used by organic farmers include use of manures and green waste compost, legumes to fix nitrogen, fertility building leys and green manures. And of course no use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides and minimal veterinary medicines. Together with a focus on soil health and management there are many benefits for wildlife and the environment.

Wildlife management is important for many organic farms not just out of respect for nature but also because a thriving wildlife really does benefit the farming. Creating beetle banks for insect predators, managing larger hedges for crop and stock shelter, conserving dung beetles and earthworms for soil fertility and permanent pastures for animal health, all contribute to a thriving organic farm.

Many years of research show the advantages of organic farming:

• Water protection. Reduced nitrate, phosphate and agrochemical contamination as result of no use of nitrate fertilisers, soluble phosphate fertilisers or agrochemicals
• Soil fertility. Higher earthworm and micro-organism numbers and reduced compaction
• Increased arable plant species, insect pollinators, birds and earthworms
• Climate change. Higher carbon sequestration and reduced green house gas emissions including lower nitrous oxide emissions and no emissions from nitrate fertiliser manufacture
• Resource efficiency. Lower use of finite resources including phosphate and fossil energy
• Greater crop diversity and, on mixed farms, the presence of livestock, often rare or indigenous breeds.

Here’s why organic food is good for you:

• Greater nutritional quality in many foods, including antioxidants and more of the healthy fatty acids
• Lower pesticide, antibiotic, heavy metal and nitrate residues
• No GMOs or animal growth promoters.

Further reading: ORC/FiBL report for Sustainability and Quality of organic food