This month is all about celebrating all things organic and the many benefits it brings to our food system, our health and our planet. From soil and gut health to biodiversity and animal welfare. Organic’s official definition put is as: “A system of farming and food production in which farmers aim to produce high quality foods using methods that benefit everyone, including people, planet, plants and animals.”

The whole idea behind organic farming is about balance, working in harmony with nature rather than against it. Organic farmers typically focus on a system that sustains itself rather than relying on chemicals and antibiotics.Encouraging natural cycles to control pests makes for a healthier farm. Rather than scaring away birds and beetles, they are encouraged to eat insects like slugs and caterpillars. Pesticides are one of the biggest contributors to the biodiversity loss. Just 15 years ago, most drivers would have their windscreens coated with insects after a trip; now, barely anything. This is a visible sign of global insect decline and organic farming offers and alternative by putting biodiversity first.

Ensuring a healthy bed is a foundation to organic farming, so soil must be loved! Enriching the Earth helps it to retain all the natural nutrients and supports biodiversity. The same can be said for animal welfare! From the quality of feed to transport and living conditions, organic standards prioritise the wellbeing of livestock. Healthier and happier animals create a healthier more sustainable food system, especially when looking at field rotation too.

A study from 2014 publish in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that organic milk and meat contain around 50% more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than non-organic, these fatty acids are crucial for heart and brain health. As well as this, it offers few GM ingredients and less reliance on antibiotics, more beneficial nutrients and of course better for animals and the planet!

Founder of the organic farming movement, Sir Albert Howard said “The health of soil, planet, animal and man is one and indivisible”. The world should work in harmony to strive to a better and more nutritious future for us all! This month also overlaps with British Food Fortnight, running from 26th September to 12th October. It’s the perfect reminder to reflect on where our food comes from and how we can support local!