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There are many aspects to organic farming. It is not an "add-on"
system for farm production but an integrated and holistic approach to managing your land,
crops, livestock and business. Maximum reliance is placed on local or farm-derived
renewable resources with the minimum possible reliance on external inputs, whether
chemical or organic. Key characteristics of organic production, drawn from the 2001
Organic Farm Management Handbook, include:
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protecting long-term fertility of the soil by maintaining organic matter
level
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providing crop nutrients indirectly through the action of soil
micro-organisms rather than directly through chemical fertilisers;
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nitrogen self-sufficiency by using legumes, biological nitrogen fixation and
effective recycling of crop residues and livestock manure;
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controlling weeds, diseases and pests by crop rotations, natural predators,
resistant varieties and limited thermal, biological and chemical intervention;
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extensive management of livestock which fully respects their welfare and
behavioural needs;
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careful attention to the impact of the farming system on the wider
environment and on conservation of wildlife and natural habitats.
There is widespread misunderstanding about what it means for farmers to go
organic. So we have tried to provide answers to some of the most common questions that
people ask us.
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