Welfare and wildlife

Animal welfare

No system of farming has higher levels of animal welfare standards than organic farms working to Soil Association standards

Organic is about producing food that is good for you, good for animals and good for the environment. When you buy Soil Association certified meat and dairy products, the animals have been fed a healthy diet, there is no factory farming, they have had access to the outdoors, and have been cared for in ways that reduce stress and disease.

Under organic rules, all aspects of animal welfare are tightly controlled, including rearing, shelter, feeding, transportation and slaughter. Ensuring good health is better than relying on drugs to treat disease, which is why we put so much emphasis on practices that encourage healthy farm animals. Organic farmers do this in many practical ways, such as keeping numbers down to reduce stress, providing appropriate nutritious feed and ensuring easy access to the outdoors. Organic animals cannot be given growth promoting hormones, regular doses of antibiotics or genetically modified (GM) feed.

Sick animals are treated using homeopathic and complementary remedies, unless a vet says an animal needs antibiotics; in which case they must be given. To ensure that no residues are left, a set period of time has to pass before the animal can produce products for sale as organic. These are on average three times as long as those required by law for non-organic food.

Wildlife

Over the last 50 years the UK has witnessed a steep decline in wildlife. One way to help reverse this is by supporting organic farming.

Organic farming depends on encouraging a diverse ecosystem to maintain soil fertility and to keep pests under control naturally. It does this by encouraging nature’s own predators by maintaining hedgerows and creating open, ‘wild’ spaces at the side of fields, and changing the crops planted each season, to keep soil fertile and avoid the need for chemicals.

A scientific literature review by English Nature and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), published in 2004, found that there are more birds, butterflies, beetles, bats and wild flowers on organic farms than on non-organic farms. This is because an organic farm in its entirety is subject to environmental standards, rather than just selected areas.

In non-organic farming around 31,000 tonnes of chemicals are used each year in the UK to kill weeds, insects and other pests that attack crops. Organic farming uses mainly natural methods, developing good soil and healthy crops which have a strong natural resistance to pests and diseases. The UK Government has said that organic farming is better for wildlife, causes lower pollution from sprays, produces less carbon dioxide and fewer dangerous wastes.

Why is organic better?

Organic is about producing food that is good for you, good for animals and good for the environment. Its benefits are about a total system of production that works in harmony with nature, rather than relying on environmentally damaging chemicals, fertilisers and antibiotics. By putting less stress on the environment and animals, organic is a more sustainable choice, especially as around 30% of the average consumer's carbon 'footprint' comes from their food choices.

A common concern from consumers is that organic food costs more than its non-organic equivalent. In many cases the price differentials are reducing dramatically, especially as oil-based chemical and fuel costs needed for intensive, non-organic agriculture fluctuate on volatile world markets.

Where organic does cost a little extra though, it is worth remembering the peace of mind that Soil Association certification buys you. It means you are avoiding polluting your body with unnecessary pesticides, additives, and genetically modified (GM) products. It means that any animals involved in producing your foodstuffs have enjoyed the highest standards of welfare, with no factory farming, or being pumped full of needless drugs or growth hormones. It means you have supported a system of agriculture that encourages wildlife and biodiversity, uses natural resources sustainably and releases fewer emissions than intensive agricultural production.