Gufy Media: Hortatory Exposition - Organic Farming

Organic Farming
A Solution for Harmless Food

Organic farming is a form of agriculture which excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives, and genetically modified organisms. It is believed that organic farming should replace conventional one for some reasons.

Firstly, as far as possible, organic farmers rely on crop rotation, integrated pest management, crop residue, compost and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and control pests.

Secondly, studies have shown that people who work with pesticides have an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The pesticides examined in these two long-term studies, paraquat and dieldrin, are not allowed on organic farms. The herbicide paraquat and fungicide maneb together, but not alone, have been shown to cause brain damage in mice. Some organic farming standards do allow the use of natural methods of protection from pests such as those derived from plants. Organic activists state that natural pesticides are a last alternative, while growing healthier, diseaseresistant plants, using cover crops and crop rotation, and encouraging beneficial insects and birds are the primary methods of pest control.

Finally, a 2001 study demonstrated that children who are fed organic diets experienced significantly lower organophosphorus pesticide exposure than children fed conventional diets. A similar study in 2006 measured the levels of organophosphoruspesticide exposure in 23 preschoolchildren before and after replacing their diet with organic food: levels of organophosphorus pesticide exposure dropped dramatically

and immediately when the children switched to an organic diet. Although the researchers did not collect health outcome data in this study, they concluded “it assumes that children whose diets consist of organic food items would have a lower probability of neurologic health risks.”

Therefore, organic farming should replace conventional one to reduce the using of pesticides which usually remain in farm production such as fruits and vegetables since there are a lot of research which prove that pesticides may be harmful for the consumers if people use pesticides improperly.

Adapted from: http://www.wikipedia.com

Answer these questions based on the text.

1. What is organic farming?
2. What do organic farmers do to maintain soil productivity and control pest?
3. What is the danger of using pesticides?
4. What makes organic pest control better than the conventional one?
5. Explain the experiment conducted in 2001 briefl y.
6. What suggestion do you fi nd in the text on organic farming?
7. The general statement of topic discussed can be found in paragraph ….
8. Where do you find the suggestion which contains what should or should not happen?

Decide whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE based on the text above.

1. Organic farming uses synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and genetically modified organisms.
2. Natural pesticides are the only way to control pests organically.
3. Certain fungicides and herbicides cause brain damage on mice.
4. Organophosphorus pesticides may cause neurological disease.
5. Organic farming may reduce the use of pesticides and produce healthier foods.