The true about biological husbandry

Organic Farming in the US

By law, U.S. organic farmers are required to raise animals without the use of antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones. Plus, organic farmers must provide animals with 100% organic feed and safe, clean, cage-free living conditions. In addition, organic farmers must provide their animals with access to the outdoors and pasture so that they can roam freely. In fact, organic standards require that cows graze on rich, nutritious grass for a minimum of one third of their lives.

Organic Standards

Unlike other eco-labels, the organic label is backed by a set of rigorous federal production and processing standards. These standards require that products bearing the USDA organic label be grown and processed without the use of toxic and synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, genetic engineering, antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, sewage sludge and irradiation.

The requirements for U.S. organic standards are the following:

• Companies must submit a detailed application, outlining the nature of their operation, the production/handling processes they use, and the products they produce. This is called an Organic Systems Plan, and it enables inspectors and consumers alike to trace organic products from the farm to table.

• Rigorous announced - and unannounced -certification inspections by third-party inspectors to ensure that products bearing the organic label are grown and processed in a manner that you and your family can trust. Certifiers also audit companies’ records (i.e.: of purchases, inputs, ingredients), tracing products from their starting ingredients to their final stages of processing/production.

• All products bearing the organic label must comply with federal, state, FDA, and international food safety requirements.

Labeling Organic Products

In seeking organic products in the marketplace, consumers should look for the USDA Organic Seal or a certifier name on the label. The U.S. Department of Agriculture outlines four categories of organic labels, based on the percentage of organic content in the product. The first three categories are CERTIFIED products under the USDA National Organic Program's standards. This means that not only are the organic ingredients in processed products certified, but the facilities that handle and process the products are inspected and certified as well. The USDA seal however may only be used on products that are "100 percent organic" and "95% Organic." 1. 100 % ORGANIC Products produced using exclusively organic methods, containing only organic ingredients, are allowed to carry a label declaring “100 percent organic” and may use the USDA Organic Seal. Note that the other 5% must be non-GMO and on the National List.

2. ORGANIC

Products produced using exclusively organic methods that contain at least 95% organic ingredients may use the USDA Organic Seal.

3. MADE WITH ORGANIC

Products with 70% to 95% organic ingredients may display "Made with organic [with up to three specified ingredients or food groups]" on the front panel. The USDA Organic Seal may not be used, however products in this category MUST be certified through the same USDA organic certification process that is required for "100% Organic" and "Organic" label.

NOTE: Any non-organic ingredients used in the above labeling categories may not be produced using genetic engineering, irradiation or sewage sludge.

INGREDIENT PANEL

Products with less than 70% organic ingredients can only list the organic items on the ingredient panel. The USDA Organic Seal must not be used. No organic claim is allowed on the front panel of the product.

The Pretence of Species-Appropriate Farming in the EU

Anyone who wants to do something good for himself and his health buys organic. This is what the trade wants to suggest us. With terms like organic or eco, consumer automatically associates images of happy animals and species-appropriate husbandry. Consumers think of free-ranging, happy animals that can live out their own needs and are not kept like "farm animals". But the truth behind the colourful advertising promises looks quite different.

Neither "eco" nor "organic" stand for "species-appropriate husbandry". The living conditions of the animals on organic farms hardly differ from those in conventional factory farming. Their "plus" are just a few centimetres more living space and run. Many consumers associate the term "ORGANIC" with free-range farming. However, this is not mandatory in the EU Organic Regulation. Organic farmers have the obligation to allow their animals to run outside, which is not the same as grazing. In short, "ORGANIC" means "outdoor exercise", not "free range".

The term "organic" is legally protected by the EU Organic Regulations 834/2007 and 889/2008. This applies to all EU member states and covers animal husbandry, plant production, processing, trade and also the labelling and control of organic food.

Therefore, the following designations may only appear on organic products:

From (controlled) organic (ecological) cultivation

From (controlled) organic (ecological) farming

Conventional vs. Organic Animal Husbandry

The differences between conventional livestock farming and organic farming are as follows:

The most important labels and quality seals

These indications are legal minimum requirements in both conventional and organic farming. However, each farmer may decide for themselves how they will eventually keep their animals. As a result, additional labels and quality seals have been formed in meat production, which have higher requirements than those set by law. The most important labels and quality seals in the meat sector with their requirements are:

EU Organic Seal

Husbandry

Animal husbandry appropriate to the species in terms of ventilation, space, comfort and light requirements of the animals is obligatory.

· Outdoor access for pigs and cows is obligatory (however, exceptions to this rule are possible)

· Driving the animals with electric shocks is prohibited

· Sedatives are prohibited

· Transports of up to 6 hours

Feed

• Organic feed - genetically modified soy beans are prohibited

• Feeding with bone meal is prohibited

• Preventive administration of antibiotics is prohibited

• Sick animals should preferably be treated with herbal or homeopathic medicines

• The use of performance enhancing additives is prohibited

• Hormonal treatments for growth promotion/reproduction promotion are prohibited

Products

• At least 95 % of the ingredients have to be organic

• The food may not be irradiated

Miscellaneous

• No synthetic chemical pesticides and easily soluble mineral fertilisers may be used

• The contamination of soil and water by solid and liquid animal excrements is to be avoided

A Summary of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Organic Animal Husbandry

Advantages

For the safety of the consumer, every organic product has to undergo a strict safety control. These checks are carried out regularly.

Animal welfare includes more outdoor space, pure and organic feed and sufficient space in the barn. The animals also do not have to stand on full-split floors and have straw in the barn.

GMO-free products. The feed is not mixed with antibiotics, growth hormones or tranquilizers.

Disadvantages

Organic products have many disadvantages. One of them would be that the animals are very often kept in larger quantities than in factory farming. The feed usually contains pathogenic substances. Because of the bad feed the animals quickly become ill. However, for legal reasons, they can receive little or no medication such as antibiotics.

Organic products require more effort in their production. After the products have been transported to the supermarket, they do not last very long. Therefore, new products have to be produced again and again.

On organic farms, there is a lack of control. The farms are therefore rarely checked for:

1. Animal welfare

2. Cleanliness

3. Environmental friendliness

According to experts, organic farms are inspected at least once a year, whereas conventional farms are inspected much less frequently or almost never.

The problems with organic livestock farming are mainly due to the fact that no precise definitions of organic have been established. In organic farming, most animals end up in the same transporter and at the same slaughterhouse as animals from conventional farming, and there is no separate regulation for organic farmers.

Other problematic points are as follows:

1. The EU Organic Regulation does not prohibit the use of high performance breeds in laying hens. The majority of organic farms use this breed because they lay the most eggs. Due to the high performance pressure, the hens are quickly exhausted and get ill more quickly.

2. Just as in conventional farming, organic farms are allowed to dehorn their calves. This is done to reduce the risk of injury.

3. Organic farmers also separate the calves from their mothers

According to the EU Organic Regulation, tethering is not completely prohibited. It is permitted up to a farm size of 35 animals

EU Tightens Organic Requirements

For the above-mentioned reasons, the EU has decided to tighten the rules on animal husbandry for organic food. To obtain an organic label, animals have to have access to pasture. However, not all organic farmers can make this possible. From 2020, there will be no more exceptions for local farmers on pasture. Every domestic organic farm that keeps cows, sheep, goats or horses has to give their animals access to pasture from 2020. For some organic farmers, this may mean the end because they will no longer be able to be certified as organic due to the lack of grazing opportunities.

But agricultural representatives do not abandon the farmers. They recommend them to join the agri-environmental programme "Animal Welfare Pasture". Recently, about 16,000 organic farms received financial support for pasture. Around 1,800 organic farmers have so far entered the agri-environmental programme "Animal Welfare Pasture". The farmers concerned also receive advice from the Chambers of Agriculture or Bio-Austria.

No matter under what circumstances the animals are kept, in the end the same fate awaits them all, a cruel death in the slaughterhouse.

"There is no meat from happy animals, only from dead ones" Karen Duve