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In an era of dangerous climate change, widespread decline in wildlife and diet-related poor health, the need to change our food production system has never been greater. Organic farming is a system that produces high-quality food, using methods that are beneficial to people, animal welfare, plant health and the environment. Market research has revealed 58% of UK residents have bought organic food, with the number increasing sharply in 2020/21.   Organic food sales boost The number of people buying organic products has increased by 12.6% as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with people making an effort to eat more healthily. A report released in March 2021 by the Soil Association confirmed this was the biggest annual rise in 15 years. Sales of fresh vegetables have been particularly buoyant, increasing by more than 15%. People have been buying more organic tinned and packaged items to stock up their cupboards, amid fears of food shortages, with sales in this sector rising by almost 20%. Home deliveries of organic fresh fruit and veg also increased, as people stuck at home during the lockdowns ordered healthy, fresh food online. Sales of organic food had soared in popularity in the early 21st century. However, following the financial crisis and recession in 2008, sales dipped by more than 20% between 2008 and 2011. Sales had started to recover by 2017, but only to their pre-2008 level. However, the popularity of organic food since the end of 2019 has soared again.   How many organic farms are there? Government statistics show 489,000 hectares of land are farmed organically in the UK today. There are 5,800 organic farmers nationwide, with cereals being the most popular organically grown crops - cereals make up 42% of the total organic crop farmed in Britain. Vegetables, including potatoes, make up 9.5%; other crops account for 9.2%; fruit and nuts make up 2%; and herbs 0.4%. The remainder of the organic land is temporary pasture and woodland. When it comes to livestock farming, 3.2% of the total UK cattle population, equating to around 304,000 animals, are reared organically. This is an increase of 1% over the past 12 months. In addition, organic farming accounts for 731,000 sheep, 2.2% of the total UK population, plus 27,000 pigs. The number of poultry farmed organically in the UK increased by 11% between 2019 and 2020, totalling around 3.8 million birds - 2.1% of the total UK population.   Organic v natural foods Unfortunately, "natural" does not necessarily mean the product is as pure as organic foods. When food is produced organically, it doesn't permit toxic pesticides, synthetic herbicides or chemical fertilisers to be used. No growth hormones or antibiotics are given to animals. Unfortunately, food labelled "natural" does not guarantee that it is processed without any artificial flavours, hormones or antibiotics. Organic is the most stringently regulated food production system. No other farming method can deliver so many benefits for the natural environment and wildlife. Organic farmers must adhere to a strict set of standards that comply with legal requirements drawn up by the EU to ensure the farms have healthy animals, soil and ecosystems. Certification is a legal requirement to grow, process and market organic foods. In the UK, an organic farmer must register with a control body in order to produce, prepare, sell, store or import organic products. All organic farms and companies are inspected by a certification body, at least once a year.   Why should people switch to organic produce? It is against the law in the UK to call a food product "organic" if it hasn't been inspected and certified by one of eight approved control bodies. This means shoppers who see the organic symbol can trust the food and drink they are about to buy. Keeping soil healthy is at the heart of organic farming. Food grown organically won't have been grown in synthetic fertilisers, as the system is based on nourishing plants naturally. Farmers use compost, natural manure and crop rotation to maintain nutrient-rich, healthy soils. Under Soil Association standards, weedkillers are totally banned. Farmers strive to create a natural balance between animals and plants to prevent pests. A healthy wildlife population can control pests. Organic farmers learn how to attract birds and beneficial insects such as ladybirds to their farms to eat pests like slugs and aphids. Evidence suggests that organically grown produce is richer in nutrients including vitamin C, magnesium, iron and phosphorous, compared with conventionally grown crops.   What does organic farming look like? Higher animal welfare standards are among the most important aspects of organic farming. Any farm that is certified by the Soil Association has the highest welfare standards in the UK. Livestock living conditions, feeding, transportation and humane slaughter are covered under the organic standards. Eggs on organic farms come from chickens that are truly free-range. They have lots of space, fresh air and living conditions that that suit their natural behaviour. They live in smaller groups, while painful practices, such as beak trimming, are banned. There is no routine use of preventative antibiotics in organic farming. Animals living in a natural, hygienic environment, who are fed the correct diet, don't depend on antibiotics. They are used only as a last resort to treat illnesses. Certain antibiotics are banned altogether by the Soil Association. Organic farmers are opposed to any genetically modified foods. The use of all GM ingredients is prohibited. Organic farms favour a completely natural diet. Hydrogenated fats are also banned from organic foods, while many artificial food colourings and preservatives are outlawed.   Has Brexit had an impact on organic farming? Brexit caused a lot of uncertainty for the UK's organic farmers. New organic food and farming statutory requirements were passed to become law following the UK's departure from the EU. The Soil Association is keeping Britain's organic farmers up to date with the legislation. Exporters must ensure their overseas importers are organic-certified. They also need to make sure their labelling complies with their destination country's requirements, as well as UK requirements.