As an organic farm we’re sometimes asked about the reasons we converted, and whether choosing organic products really matters to the public. John Pitts, our owner, shares his thoughts on when and why organic matters.

Why choose organic?

It’s a reasonable question for every shopper and also for me as an organic farmer of 24 years. Without the ability to manipulate nature with the routine use of pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, growth hormones and antibiotics, organic farming is a much more challenging way to produce food. I’m no Luddite; I recognise farming as a science, but I just choose not to make it a chemistry experiment.

Conventional farming has become increasingly intensive as a result of the continuous drive to deliver cheaper and cheaper food. Soils are exhausted, pollution of groundwater and rivers is prevalent, animal welfare takes a back seat to ‘efficiency’ and the global loss of biodiversity is alarming.

Organic farmers rely on natural methods such as composting, crop rotation, and biological pest control to maintain soil structure and fertility and manage pests crop diseases. Genetically modified crops (GMOs) are banned. The World Health Organisation (WHO) cite resistance to antibiotics as one of the top global public health and development threats. As a member of Organic Herd (the farmer-owned cooperative of organic dairy farmers) we are prohibited from using antibiotics and our focus is subsequently on prevention rather than cure. We believe that if we care for our cows in the right way they will not need antibiotics.

Greenwashing and Regenerative Farming

Thankfully, concern for our environment, the impact of climate change and how our food is produced is no longer a niche topic of conversation amongst a few ‘organic weirdos’ but has become mainstream. There is no longer a business, industry or lobby group that fails to make, often ludicrous, claims to be ‘green’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘climate-friendly.’ Greenwashing is rife. Sadly, the agricultural industry is no different. Marketing gurus produce eco-friendly sounding names to repackage what remains the same conventional farming but with a few media sound bite-friendly tweaks.

‘Regenerative Farming’ is such a name undoubtedly filled with promise and the apparent Damascus moment causing regen farmers to consider soil health must be welcomed. But there is no restriction on the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, antibiotics, GMOs and chemical seed dressings. Indeed, Regenerative Farming is totally dependent on the regular and continuous use of the chemical Glyphosate which in 2015 was declared as “Probably Carcinogenic” by the WHO and is banned or restricted in 25 countries including Germany. The global agrochemical industry is estimated (2024) to be worth $253 billion. So there’s no guessing who is controlling the narrative.

A recent article in Farmers Weekly hailed a 1750-cow dairy herd that never saw a blade of grass as an example of Regenerative Farming. There are no enforceable standards governing ‘regenerative’, ‘wild farming’, ‘rewilding’ or any other of the media-friendly names – except for one: organic.

My book of ‘Organic Standards’ is about two inches thick, and its contents are enshrined in law. Independent organisations conduct on-farm inspections and if I break the rules I can not only have my certification removed but I can end up with a criminal record. Consequently, you can trust that organic does what it says on the tin.

Why organic matters

But what about the outcomes? Peer-reviewed evidence around the benefits of organic compared to conventional farming systems demonstrates that. Organically farmed soils are 25% more effective at storing carbon and can mitigate both flooding and drought by storing up to 100% more water. Organic farms are 50% more abundant in wildlife with up to 34% more species including 50% more bees, butterflies, and essential pollinators The only way to guarantee that the milk you buy is from cows that graze grass during the growing seasons is to buy organic. The outcomes are endless and the food is safe, nutritious and has been respectful to the planet in its making.

The question posed was ‘Why Organic’? At Organic Herd we have a mantra: ‘How We Farm Matters’. That’s why.