Colin McPhillips

Annotated Bibliography
English 2010
8/8/2016

Benefits of Organic Agriculture

1
"Health Benefits of Organic Agriculture." Beyond Pesticides. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 July 2016.
<http://www.beyondpesticides.org/programs/organic-agriculture/why-organic/health-benefits>.
This article written by Beyond Pesticides offers insights into the pros of organic farming as well
as the opposing dangers of conventional farming methods. Non-organic farming relies heavily on
the use of pesticides in controlling invasive weeds, chemicals that are highly toxic to human
health. These chemicals can infiltrate our lives in many ways - by direct contact with crops to
farmers working in the field, by contaminating the water we drink and the food we eat, and
polluting the air we breathe. These chemicals pose not only many environmental problems, but
also health risks to us, one major of which is cancer. The article states,
The population groups most affected by pesticide use are farmworkers and their
families. These people live in communities near the application of toxic pesticides, where
pesticide drift and water contamination are common. Farmworkers, both pesticide
applicators and fieldworkers who tend to and harvest the crops, come into frequent
contact with pesticides...Organic agriculture does not utilize these toxic chemicals and
thus eliminates this enormous health hazard to workers, their families, and their
communities.
I believe Beyond Pesticides to be a credible source because they are a non-profit organization
that claims they are dedicated to protecting public health and the environment to lead the
transition to a world free of toxic pesticides, according to their mission statement. They pose

important and relevant information about the dangers of pesticides to both farm workers and
food consumers, and their article is a valuable source of health information for educating the
public about the consequences of their decisions on what type of agriculture to support.

2
Group, Edward, Dr. "6 Health Benefits of Eating Organic Food." Global Healing Center.
N.p., 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 02 July 2016. <http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/6health-benefits-of-eating-organic-food/>.
In Dr. Groups article, he argues about the health benefits of eating organic foods instead of those
that are non-organic. He lists a number of reasons to choose organic. Among these is the fact that
organic food does not contain genetically modified organisms, which he states are a horrible
mutation of real food. He goes on to claim that organic food contains more healthy nutrients
than conventional foods, is not contaminated with pesticides or herbicides, poses less risk of
acquiring food borne illnesses, and is better for both the environment and your conscience. He
says, When youre aware are of the devastation brought by agribusiness to animals and the
environment, surely your conscience suffers - and the fact is that a bad conscience is bad for your
health. Dr. Group founded and is the CEO of Global Healing Center, and has an extensive
background in medicine and nutrition, having attended both Harvard and MIT. He also has
received diplomates from the American Board of Functional Medicine and the American Clinical
Board of Nutrition. All of these accomplishments speak to his credibility as an advocate for
organic foods, and he contributes important advice to the online world of people seeking ways to
improve their health.

3
"What Are the Environmental Benefits of Organic Agriculture?" Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 July 2016.
<http://www.fao.org/organicag/oa-faq/oa-faq6/en/>.

The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) writes an article explaining
the critical benefits that organic agriculture poses to our environment. They claim that organic
methods such as crop rotations and inter-cropping play an important role in creating stable soil
systems (preventing erosion) and fostering soil biodiversity. Organic practices eliminate the use
of synthetic fertilizers and thus reduces groundwater pollution. They also help to lower the
greenhouse gas effect in the environment and its associated issue of global warming as a result of
carbon sequestration in the soil. The FAO states,
The impact of organic agriculture on natural resources favours interactions within the
agro-ecosystem that are vital for both agricultural production and nature conservation.
Ecological services derived include soil forming and conditioning, soil stabilization,
waste recycling, carbon sequestration, nutrients cycling, predation, pollination and
habitats. By opting for organic products, the consumer through his/her purchasing
power promotes a less polluting agricultural system.
As an internationally recognized agency operating under the umbrella of the United Nations, the
FAO is undoubtedly as credible as it gets. With a history of working to improve the sustainability
of agriculture systems and reducing poverty and hunger worldwide, the FAO strives to be a
leader in attacking some of the worlds largest problems. Their article contributes important
insights to my research on the environmental benefits of organic agriculture and promotes the
support of the organic movement as a whole.

4
"Benefits of Organic Farming for Small Farmers." Organic Facts. N.p., 02 Oct. 2007. Web. 02
July 2016. <https://www.organicfacts.net/organic-products/organic-cultivation/benefits-oforganic-farming-for-small-farmers.html>.
This article by Organic Facts presents some interesting information about the benefits of organic
agriculture to small scale farmers. Organic products provide farmers with a high premium, or a
high price, per unit of their product sold, and also have a lower capital investment than normal

chemical farming. Thus, usually organic farmers make more money from an equal amount of
food produced than those farming with conventional methods. The article states, in cases of
natural calamity, pest or disease attack, or irregular rainfall, when there is a crop failure, small
farmers practicing organic farming have to suffer less as their investments are low. Organic
Facts is an organization based in India touted as a small team of dedicated individuals who are
passionate about health and nutrition, and want to spread awareness. They appear to be fully
committed to sharing their knowledge and experience with organic food and products, which
attests to their credibility as passionate proponents of organic agriculture. This article provides
relevant information pertaining to the effects organic agriculture has on small scale farmers and
is a valuable piece of my research.