Organic Farming and Health Issues - Term Paper Example

Running Header:  Do the health benefits obtained byOrganic farming get outweighed by the cost? Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code & Name: Date of Submission: Abstract Organic food products contain high mineral contents. In addition they lack chemical compounds and thus they are considered healthy and safe. However, organic farmers incur high input and labour costs which make them to suffer losses. Moreover customer perceptions regarding the products price and social class mean that organic farmers have to suffer excessive costs in order to advertise their product. Contents Abstract 2 Contents 3 1.0 Introduction 4 2.0 Aims of the Report 5 3.0 Fact and Findings 5 3.1 Health Benefits 5 3.2 Costs Associated with Organic Farming 6 3.21 Production Cost. 7 3.22 Certification 8 3.23 Customer Perception 9 3.24Technical Knowhow 11 11 4.0 Results 11 5.0 Conclusion 11 References 12 1.0 Introduction Organic farming refers to the use of farming techniques that conserve the natural environment at the same time achieve high crop yields. The method entails the use of natural pesticides and green manures in order to protect the environment and ensure long-term soil fertility. The method leads to the production of high quality and nutritious food hence improves the health of the consumers. However, Kanwar, Nagaraj and Chengappa argue that the additional costs associated with organic farming may not be compensated by the additional revenues gained by practicing the method (87). Organic farming moreover, suffers from external increasing costs in relation to inputs and decreasing soil fertility. This increases the cost of production therefore making the method to be expensive. This report will aim to assess whether the health benefits associated with organic farming are outweighed by the cost incurred in practicing the organic farming method. 2.0 Aims of the Report 1. To determine whether organic farming leads to health benefits. 2. To determine whether the cost of organic farming outweighs its health benefit. 3.0 Fact and Findings 3.1 Health Benefits Harper and Makatouni found out that individuals are motivated to purchase organic foods due to the health benefits associated with the organic food products (297). The individuals perceived the organic food to be safe, healthy and nutritional. The food is considered safe due to the strict certification process and this enables the consumers to trust the organic food products. Furthermore, the fact that the food is produced without the use of pesticides makes it to be free from synthetic chemicals and genetically engineered components. Tregear, Dent and McGregor note that the demand for organically produced products has significantly grown due to the public interest in healthy and safe products (489). The increase in environmental awareness contributed to the growth in demand for organic food products. The public views organic foods to be healthy and environmentally friendly. According to a study conducted by Harper and Makatouni, a proportion of buyers perceive the organic foods to have an enhanced taste as compared to conventionally food products (300). Organic products contain high levels of antioxidants and this makes them nutritional hence improve the health of the consumers. Moreover, organic foods have a higher retention level of important nutrients as compared to convectional food products. A survey conducted by O’Donovan and McCarthy indicated that customers prefer organic products because of the fact that they are natural, healthy and safe (355). Organic products are free of chemicals and this motivates customers to purchase them as they view them as good for their health. Organic foods are produced naturally with minimal processing and this makes them to be highly nutritious. They have high fiber contents, low fats, high vitamin and mineral contents. This improves the energy of the consumers, increases their immunity and reduces cholesterol levels as well as assist in managing the consumer’s body weight. According o the Organic trade association consuming organic products decreases a person’s contact with environmental chemicals hence reduces the chances of contracting cancer (34). Organic food products have lower levels of nitrates and herbicides and this improves the health of the consumers. Furthermore, consuming organic product provides the consumers with more minerals, antioxidant micronutrients as well more fiber. 3.2 Costs Associated with Organic Farming 3.21 Production Cost. The cost incurred in organic production is higher than that incurred by convectional farmers (Organic Trade Association 232). This is due to the lower productivity experienced by organic farmers and the high production costs particularly in relation to labour and the mechanisms involved. The fact that organic farmers are not allowed to apply chemicals in their crops makes them to suffer excessive losses in case their crops are attacked by pests. Moreover, organic farmers are only permitted to apply hormones and antibiotics in order to treat their chemicals. These compounds are expensive as compared to the normal pesticides and this makes the method to be expensive and unprofitable. A study conducted by Kanwar, Nagaraj and Chengappa indicated that the field crops farmed using the organic method were unprofitable (85). This was due to the use of high composite applications which lead to losses being experienced by the farmers. Moreover, the study found out that, with the high inputs, high production was experienced only in the first two years while from the third year farmers realized low production outputs. This meant that the organic farmers were incurring high production costs making them to experience negative returns. According to the study unless the yields associated with organic farming increased the farmers could continue incurring high production costs with low outputs and this could lead to unprofitable farming activities. The production cost of organically produced horticultural products is 20% to 30% higher as compared to convectional farmers (Olson and Canavari 129). This is due to the high monitoring and control costs undertaken by the organic farmers. Moreover, the cost of labour that the farmers is higher as compared with convectional farming. Rehber and Turhan emphasize this by stating that organic farming requires a considerable amount of input in relation to labour (375). The high labour input is determined by the ecology of the area as well as the type of the crop. High labour inputs make the organic farmers to realize low profits hence outweighing the benefits associated with organic farming. Beharrel and Marcie argue that’s organic manures and organic fertilizers are not good sources of nutrients (27). Most organic fertilizers have low contents of nutrients and these require the farmers to apply a large amount of the fertilizers. In order to ensure adequate application o, the farmers are forced to purchase large quantities of the fertilizers and this leads to increased operating costs which end up outweighing the benefits of organic farming. The organic matter applied decays gradually hence not optimum to support the plant growth. This in turn leads to reduced production given the high input cost. The regulatory requirements provide that farmers must obtain specialized seeds for planting which are free from contamination. Duran notes that farmers depend on industries to provide them with specialized seeds (42). These industries constantly increase the prices of the seeds and this makes the farmers to incur additional costs in purchasing them. In order to comply with the certification, organic farmers are prohibited from replanting their harvests and this puts them at a disadvantage as compared to the convectional farmers. Therefore, organic farmers are forced to contend with the high cost of the specialized seeds and this makes them to incur large costs as compared to the benefits that their farming methods offer. 3.22 Certification Organic farmers must be certified in order to ensure that they conform to the environmental requirements. Ranganathan notes that the lack of harmonization in standards and the official regulation in relation to organic certification creates a huge cost burden to the organic farmers (38). The certification process requires a large amount of funds which cannot be easily recovered. Farmers are required to purchase commodity certificates in order to sell their products in the market. The certification acts as a cost burden to the farmers and these further increases their operating cost. To be certificated the farmers to must adhere to strict guidelines and provisions.. These guidelines require the farmers to set down quality operating standards which require a huge capital outlay hence this outweighing the benefits associated with the adoption of the farming method. Xie, Tingyou and Yi note that certification standards cause difficulties to the organic farmers (1203). Although certification improves the confidence of the consumers it is a huge burden to the farmers. The demanding regulatory requirements make certification process difficult to the farmers. In order to be certified the farmers must implement high operating standards to ensure quality and safe organic products. This requires them to set aside a substantial amount of funds so as to enable them comply with the requirements. The funds utilized in order to meet the regulatory requirements increase the farmers operating costs. To recoup these funds given the high operating cost proves to be a difficult task and this makes them to end up incurring huge losses. 3.23 Customer Perception According to a study conducted by Harper and Makatouni customers perceive organic food products as belonging to a social class (292). A majority of customers view organic food products as belonging to a higher social economic class. This creates a low market for the organic farmer’s products and hence they end up incurring losses due to lack of buyers. Moreover, the farmers are forced to aggressively advertise their products and these further increases their operating costs hence reducing their profits. Tregear, Dent and McGregor emphasizes that consumption of organic product is influenced by the consumer profile (366). The social-economic status of a person has been viewed as a determinant towards the purchase of organic products. A study carried out by Tregear, Dent and Macgregor indicated a strong relationship between a person social economic group and the purchase of organic products. Wealthy individuals were found to prefer organic food products unlike the customers in the middle and lower economic class. This means that organic farmers must advertise their products in order to reach more customers hence this increases their operating cost leading to reduced profits. Customers fail to purchase organic products because they are perceived to be too expensive (O’Donovan and McCarthy 367). Majority of customers believe that organic products are too expensive. A study conducted by Beharrell and Macfie indicates that the high prices which characterize organic products present s barrier to customers towards purchasing the product (35). Most customers fail to purchase the organic products due to their high prices as compared with those produced through convectional farming methods. According The association of Organic Farmers the existing high differences between the price of organic products and convectional products causes organic farmers to suffer losses due to lack of market for their products (232). In order to compete with convectional farmers, organic farmers are forced to increase their advertisement cost with an aim of attracting customers for their products. This in turn leads to increased costs which overweight the benefits associated with organic farming. Moreover, the customer perception in relation to the price can force the farmers to reduce their product prices and this can have a great affect on their profitability given the high cost of the inputs. 3.24Technical Knowhow Rehber and Turhan note that most farmers lack the necessary skills and technical know-how on the production methods in relation to organic farming (378). Furthermore, organic farming requires the farmers to practice high operating standards in order to conform to the certification. These forces the farmers to undertake certain training programs so as to enable them carry out the activity effectively. Beharrell and Macfie emphasize that the use of organic manures requires skilled farming knowledge in order to be effective (27). This means that the farmers are forced to finance the training of their personnel in order to ensure effective performance. The training adds to operating costs incurred by the farmers hence this leads to an overall which ends up outweighing the benefits that result from organic farming. 4.0 Results The report found out that organic farming benefits the health of the consumers by providing them with highly nutritious and safe food products. Moreover, the report found out that the high operating cost in relation to organic inputs, customer perception and the required technical know-how outweigh the health benefit. 5.0 Conclusion Organic farming refers to the use of farming techniques that conserve the environment and at the same time improve productivity. Organic products are more nutritional and lack chemical compounds hence this makes them to be considered healthy and safe. However, the high cost of inputs and labour increases the operating costs incurred by the organic farmers makes them to suffer heavy losses. Moreover, majority of consumers perceive that organic products are expensive and that they belong to a high social class. This forces the farmers to aggressively advertise their products in order to increase demand and this leads to additional costs. Regulatory and certification requirements provide that the organic farmer undertakes high standards of operation. To implement this, the farmer is required to set aside large amount of funds. References Chengappa, P, Nagaraj, N & Kanwar, R. Challenges to Sustainable Agri-Food System. New Delhi: Lk International Publishing House, 2007. Beharrel, B & MacFie, J. ‘Consumer Altitudes to Organic Foods. ‘British Food Journal 93.2 (1991):25-30. Canavari, C & Olson, K. Organic Food. New York: Splinger Science, 2007. Duram, L. Encyclopedia of Organic, Sustainable and Local Food, California: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2010. Harper, G & Makatouni, A. ‘Consumer Perception of Organic Food Production and Farm Animal Welfare.’ British Food Journal 04.3(2002) 287-299. Organic Trade Association. Organic Agricultue: Sustainability, Markets and Policies. Wallingford: CABI Publishing, 2003. O’Donovan, P & McCarthy, M. ‘Irish Consumer Preference for Organic Meat.’ British Food Journal 104.3(2002) 353-370. Rangathan, R. Proceedings of the First World Conference on Organic Seed, Hunsruck: Knotenpunkt, 2004. Rehber, E & Turhan, S. ‘Prospects and Challenges for Developing Countries in Trade and Production of Organic Food and Fibres: The case of Turkey.’ British Food Journal 104.3(2002) 371-390. Tregear, A, Dent, J &McGregor, M. ‘The Demand for Organically Grown Produce.’ British Food Journal 96. 4(1994) 21-25. Xie, B, Tingyou, L & Yi, Q. ‘Organic Certification and the Market: Organic Exports.’ British Food Journal 113.10(2011) 1200-1216. Read More