User Question: What is organic farming?
A definition blending ethics and regulation. (Source: INRA)
As agricultural and food production experts, we define organic farming as a holistic approach that prioritizes top-tier environmental practices, high biodiversity, natural resource preservation, and rigorous animal welfare standards. Its core principles encompass an ethical dimension—promoting ecological goals alongside social (international solidarity, producer-consumer connections) and economic benefits (human-scale businesses, job creation).
French and European regulations provide the official framework. The key requirement: prohibition of synthetic chemicals, except those on an approved positive list.
Critics claim organic farming 'doesn't exist' due to unavoidable pollutants in air and water. While organic plots ban synthetic inputs, trace contamination can't be fully eliminated. However, if products test positive for pollutants, they lose AB (or equivalent) certification. Even farmland can be decertified.
Organic farming isn't zero-risk, but compare that to the proven pollutant exposure in conventional agriculture.
Organic farming in action
