Organic cotton is grown and harvested using natural methods to make the least impact on the environment and people. Therefore, organic cotton practices focus on rebuilding the soil fertility without the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides. This makes the soil retain more water creating a greater biodiversity for the plants and ecosystem. According to the Organic Exchange, organic cotton is different in many ways.
Organic Cotton Methods
Seed Preparation
- Uses untreated and non-genetically modified seeds.
- Builds strong soil through crop rotation.
- Retains water more efficiently thanks to increased organic matter in soil.
Weed Control
- Incorporates the use of physical removal of weeds rather than chemical removal by using hand hoeing to control weeds.
Pest Control
- Establishes a natural balance between “pests” and natural predators through a healthy soil.
- Uses of beneficial insects, biological and cultural practices to control pests.
- Uses trap crops planted to lure insects away from cotton as an option.
Harvesting
- Relies on seasonal freeze for defoliation.
- May stimulate defoliation through water management.
Conventional Cotton Methods
Seed Preparation
- Uses seeds with fungicides or insecticides.
- Uses GMO (genetically modified organisms) seeds in 70% of U.S. grown cotton.
- Uses synthetic fertilizers.
- Loses diverse soil due to predominantly mono-crop culture.
- Relies on intensive irrigation for farming.
Weed Control
- Applies herbicides to soil to inhibit weed germination.
- Repeatedly uses herbicides to kill weeds growing around cotton.
Pest Control
- Uses insecticides heavily accounting for about 25% of world consumption.
- Uses pesticides: the nine most common are highly toxic; five are probable carcinogens.
- Incorporates arial spraying, a common method with the likelihood of spraying farm workers, wildlife, and communities.
Harvesting
- Defoliates with toxic chemicals.
In addition, there are third party organizations that confirm the validity of the organic cotton methods and practices. Such parties adhere to the strict use of organic methods throughout the entire process of production (Organic Trade Association 2009). To sum up, organic farming strives to manage its farmland creating an ecological balance between biodiversity in the soil and the environment. It is important that organic farming works with the environment not eliminating all pests but using alternative methods to benefit the environment and the people.
Organic Facts:
Conventional cotton consumes approximately 25% of insecticides and more than 10% of pesticides in the world. Conventional farming takes about 1/3 of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers to produce enough cotton for one t-shirt.
Many of the chemicals used in conventional farming are human carcinogens.
Toxic runoff negatively impacts water and wildlife. In 1997, the USDA reported half of U.S farm production came from 2% of farms. Organic farming can provide an alternative market for U.S farmers where sellers can command fair price for their crops (ota.org).
What are the benefits of organic cotton?
There are several benefits organic cotton has on the environment and people. Here are just a few examples of how one person can help by just purchasing organic cotton products.
At the Rhode Island Institute researchers showed using organic cotton farming is like removing around “7,000 pounds of carbon dioxide in the air and maintaining it there in one acre of farmland. The Institute projected that if all of the 434 million acres of U.S farmland converted to organic farming practices, it would be equivalent to the removal of 217 million cars which is 88% of the cars in the country today and nearly one-third of all cars in the world” (Tim J. LaSalle, Regenerative Organic Farming: A Solution to Global Warming, Rodale Institute 2009).According to a study done at the University of Michigan, organic farming can produce more than three times more food on the same amount of acres than conventional farming (“No Short Cuts in Checking Soil Health”, Agriculture Research July 2007).
Organic farming also uses less fossil fuel energy than conventional farming according to 21 year findings through the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Switzerland (FiLB, Dossier, Organic farming enhances soil fertility and biodiversity August 2000).
In Germany, many organic farmers are paid to convert to these methods because this conversion is less costly than removing farm chemicals in water used in conventional farming (Sampat, Payal ,“Deep Trouble: The Hidden Threat of Groundwater Pollution, WorldWatch Paper December, 2000) .
Top Ten Reasons to Go Organic (source: Organic Trade Association)- 1. Organic products meet stringent standards
- 2. Organic food tastes great!
- 3. Organic production reduces health risks.
- 4. Organic farms respect our water resources.
- 5. Organic farmers build healthy soil.
- 6. Organic farmers work in harmony with nature.
- 7. Organic producers are leaders in innovative research.
- 8. Organic producers strive to preserve diversity.
- 9. Organic farming helps keep rural communities healthy.
- 10. Organic abundance -Foods and non-foods alike!
Farmers can lead improved, healthy lives using these sustainable methods and practices with organic cotton. Conversely, conventional cotton farming can lead to poisoning with the use of chemical insecticides and pesticides causing various health problems. On an organic cotton acre, farmers have less of a risk of getting exposed to harsh chemicals and can ensure a healthier lifestyle (OTA 2009).
