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Organic Market
The market for organic food is expanding rapidly. It has developed from a counter-culture niche to a mainstream, $30 billion global market. Consumer concerns over health issues, taste, the environment and animal welfare are driving an increase in demand for organic food, despite the price premiums.
There is an emerging groundswell of interest in organics. Roughly 1% of all food sales in Australia are organic and the category is growing at 25% per annum. 40% of Australians claim to eat some organic food and half the processed foods tracked by the Australian Consumers Association have an organic equivalent on the supermarket shelves.
While the penetration of organic chicken in Australia lags behind Europe, we believe this provides an opportunity because our business model can overcome the underlying problem ... unreliable supply, poor product quality and limited consumer awareness.
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Organic Movement
The modern organic movement began in Europe in the 1920s as a reaction against the industrialization of agriculture. It has since attracted an increasing number of followers as the negative impacts of the so-called "Green Revolution" of the 1950s have become progressively more apparent and fears about genetic engineering have spread.
The "Green Revolution" saw the global spread of technology-based agricultural techniques aimed at increasing output and improving durability in transit, longevity in storage and product appearance. The main developments were the design of high-yielding hybrid crop strains; the application of chemical pesticides and herbicides; the extensive use of chemical fertilizers; and heavy mechanization. Genetically engineered crops and large scale intensive livestock industries were a more recent phenomenon.
While the cost of food has come down, there has been a decline in food quality, biodiversity and environmental sustainability. Many argue that our diets have become less varied and less nutritious. Organics seeks to rectify these problems.
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Organic Philosophy
Organic agriculture is a safe and sustainable farming system which produces healthy crops and livestock without damaging the environment. Organic farmers take a holistic approach by using natural processes to create growing conditions which nurture their crops and livestock rather than combating problems with artificial treatments.
Organics is based on the belief that human health is directly related to the health of the food we eat, which in turn depends on the health of the soils, crops and animals in the food chain. Rigorous understanding of ecology and soil science is used to devise crop rotations, non-destructive tillage techniques, and natural fertilizers and pest-controls etc. Healthy soil is inherently more weed and pest resistant and biologically balanced farms attract a wide range of beneficial insects and other wildlife which act as natural predators for crop pests. Micro-organisms and earthworms facilitate soil vitality.
Organic animals are reared without the drugs, antibiotics and medications routinely used in intensive livestock industries. Parasite problems are controlled through preventative methods and free-range living conditions; and a healthy diet promote natural resistance to disease. Animal welfare is an obvious extension of these farming methods.
Organic products are grown and processed without the use artificial chemicals; genetic modifications, ionizing radiation, or other technologies which can interfere with the natural metabolism of livestock and plants. Chemical additives used in conventional food manufacturing such as preservatives and colour or flavour enhances are not permitted in organic food. (Aspartame, tartrazine and hydrogenated fats are strictly forbidden.)
Organic farming also emphasizes environmental protection by encouraging the use of renewable resources; energy conservation; the reparation of depleted soil and water resources; and biodiversity.
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Health Benefits
Better Nutrition
The use of synthetic chemicals and plant breeding techniques in modern food production, together with the long delays between harvesting and consuming food have led to a reduction in essential trace elements and vitamins.
While the scientific debate continues, many research publications argue that organically produced foods have higher levels of beneficial minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium) and more essential amino acids, vitamins, and cancer-fighting antioxidants. They also offer lower risks of food pathogens and mycotoxins.
For more information please see "The Organic Farming, Food Quality and Human Health' report, available on the Soil Association website.
Chemical Residues
The extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers in conventional agriculture may leave residues which become stored in our fatty tissues and remain in the body for a prolonged period. Many of these chemicals are extremely toxic to humans and there is concern regarding possible neurobehavioural and neurotoxic effects, mutagenicity, teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, as well as allergic and other immuno-regulatory disorders.
Despite the fact that government bodies prescribe "acceptable levels" for each of these chemicals, surveys have found residue levels exceeding these limits in some food samples. Perhaps of more concern are the little known long term effects of mixing these compounds - i.e. the 'cocktail' effect may boost toxicity.
Fat Levels
Organically raised animals contain less fat than conventionally raised animals because they are fed a healthy diet and have ample exercise. Tests carried out on Inglewood Farms' behalf by Silliker Microtech in May 2005 indicated that the fat content of our chickens was 2.9% compared to conventional chickens which have a fat content of 8.5% (almost 3 times as much).
Processed organic food can not contain any hydrogenated fats (chemically altered oils that have been "artificially saturated"). These fats, which are found in many conventional processed foods, have no nutritional benefits and increase the risk of coronary heart disease. The US National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine says that there is no safe level of hydrogenated fat consumption so consumers should consume as little as possible.
Food Additives
Eating organically grown foods enables people to avoid additives which can be allergenic or harmful in other ways. More than 500 food additives are used in the manufacture of conventional foods. Research suggests these additives can be harmful to human health, being linked to problems such as heart disease, osteoporosis, migraines and hyperactivity. Organic standards prohibit the use of additives such as aspartame (artificial sweetener), phosphoric acid, sulphur dioxide, monosodium glutamate, tartrazine, as well as artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives.
Antibiotics
There is growing concern about the routine use of antibiotics on farm animals and the possible effects on human health. Antibiotic additives are routinely added to stock feed to accelerate animal growth rates. This practice has been linked to bacterial resistance, and there is growing concern that antibiotic residues in meat and dairy products can lead to a build up of antibiotic resistance in humans, thereby reducing the effectiveness of these drugs when used to treat human disease.
Antibiotics are not permitted in organic animal husbandry.
For more information, please visit http://www.ofa.org.au/papers and the Library section at http://www.soilassociation.org
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Taste
Without a doubt organically grown food tastes better. Top chefs and food connoisseurs around the world are increasingly demanding organic products.
Inglewood Farms chicken has a fully-flavoured, strong chicken taste. It is slightly gamey, particularly in the leg meat, and highly gelatinous. The breast meat is a pinkish white and the leg meat is a rich pink with a light brown tingeing. The meat is firm and tender. The superior muscle tone means that the meat stays moist when cooked.
Because organic chickens lead a long, active life in the fresh air and sunshine, they have better muscle tone, the flesh is firmer and the taste is distinctively superior. We are told repeatedly by people who try our chickens that they "taste the way chicken used to taste...like real chicken".
Testimonials
"I'm passionate about supporting best practice in the organic industry..after wowing customers with organic food they never want to go back to conventional food. We were selling another brand of organic chicken until one of our customers, the executive chef at a leading Brisbane hotel, told us how much better quality the Inglewood Farms organic chickens were. We made the switch immediately. All our customers agree - Inglewood Farms chickens are the best they've ever tasted." Shane Heaton, Organic Retailer, Nutritionist.
"Having tried an organic chicken, I'll never eat a normal chicken again. The taste is superior and you know you're not eating some diseased bird that was kept alive with drugs." Dean Merlo, Brisbane-based gastronome and coffee guru.
"Now that I've got kids, it's become really important for me on the health front to buy as much organic produce as possible. It seems to me that more people are getting ill and suffering from allergies, which no-one can properly explain. So good, fresh, preferably organic, flavoursome food is my first choice." Celebrity Chef- Jamie Oliver (Soil Association).
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Environmental Benefits
Biodiversity
Organics is mindful of biodiversity in terms of the abundance and variety of native species retained as part of the farm habitat. Wildlife prospers on our farm because the pesticides which kill so many organisms and insects (and other larger species as their food chain is destroyed) are not used. Inglewood Farms provides a rich habitat for natural organisms because tracts of forest have been left intact and we have adopted a diverse cropping regime rather than the broad monocultures found in conventional farming. Wildlife conservation is an essential aspect of the organic farming system.
Pollution
Organic farming minimizes pollution by avoiding the use of artificial herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers, thereby reducing the risk of polluted run-off leading to nutrient buildup in our waterways.
Organic methods can also reduce emissions of agricultural greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and ammonia) and help micro-organisms in the soil oxidize atmospheric methane. Organically farmed soils contain more organic matter which acts as a "carbon sink" for fossil fuel emissions.
Studies have shown that carbon dioxide emissions from organic farming are 40-60% lower than conventional farming systems, primarily because inorganic fertilizers are not used.
While nitrous oxide is emitted from manures and methane is emitted by ruminant animals, this problem applies equally to organic and conventional farming.
Non-Renewable Resources
Organic farming reduces the use of non-renewable resources by using organic matter and soil biology for crop nutrition, rather than agrochemicals produced from fossil fuels. Energy efficiency is another goal of the organic movement and, because organic farming relies on natural rather than industrial processes, energy consumption is typically lower.
Water Conservation
Because organic farming practices increase the soil's organic content, (e.g. humus levels), water retention is improved, reducing the need for irrigation. The risk of leaching and run-off is also reduced.
Soil Conservation
The use of inorganic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides in conventional farming depletes the soil by destroying its organic matter and inhibiting microbial life. As a consequence we are seeing a downward spiral of ever increasing chemical applications to offset declining crop yields.
Organic farming on the other hand, protects the soil using practices such as composting and crop rotations. Resultant improvements in soil structure reduces susceptibility to soil compaction and improve crop yields.
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Buying Organic
Government Supervision
The term "organic" is defined by law and all certified organic food production is governed by a strict set of rules. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) is responsible for the organic inspection and certification system, implemented by seven approved certifying organizations. This co-regulatory system was set up in the early 1990s to ensure buyers of organic products can be confident that certified produce has been grown and processed according to organic principles. The system is underpinned by Commonwealth legislation and the National Standard for Organic and Biodynamic Produce.
This standard includes lists of the allowable inputs for soil management, pest and disease control, and animal health. It also specifies the animal husbandry conditions as well as the conditions for processing organic products, (e.g. strict separation from conventional produce). Producers must satisfy the standard for at least one year before products can be labeled organic in-conversion and a further three years before becoming certified organic.
Proper Certification
The only way to be sure that you are buying organic products is to check that they have been organically certified by one of the approved certifying organizations. There are seven organic certifiers in Australia: The Biological Farmers of Australia; The National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia; The Organic Food Chain; Organic Growers of Australia; Bio-Dynamic Research Institute (Demeter); Safe Food Production Queensland; Tasmanian Organic-Dynamic Producers.
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