Page 8 - Eco-Schools Wales Newsletter, Spring 1 2023 - english

Growing Organic

Conventional Farming

For farmers to achieve the highest crop yield for their land, conventional
farming methods usually involve the use of pesticides to suppress weeds and

insect damage to crops. Conventional farming methods also generally use

chemical fertilizers and herbicides with a large carbon footprint to promote

maximum crop growth, while large areas of land are used to grow a single crop.

Organic Farming of Crops Organic Farming of Animals

Organic farming is seen as much kinder When it comes to farming organic
to the environment and standards animal products, animal welfare is at

don’t allow for the use of any synthetic the heart of the system and a truly

pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. free-range life for farm animals is
Weeds are controlled mechanically or guaranteed. The routine use of drugs,

manually, animal manure is used instead antibiotics and wormers is banned –

of fertiliser and crops are generally instead the farmer will use preventative

grown in smaller areas, allowing methods, like moving animals to fresh
boundaries of natural vegetation and pasture and keeping smaller herd and

habitat to exist. As a result, organic flock sizes.

farms are a haven for wildlife and these

artificial chemicals can’t make their way
into the food chain and into us.

Due to the combination of the above factors, farmers tend to receive a much-
reduced crop in relation to land area, therefore organic produce tends to be

more expensive for the consumer compared to non-organic produce.