What is Organic?

Before the industrial revolution, all farming was organic, relying on sustainable and environmentally aligned practices. The industrial revolution brought synthetic fertilizers, fossil-fuel-powered tools, and mass farming methods, but also pollution and environmental concerns. These concerns sparked the modern organic movement in the early 20th century, a movement that gained momentum through local efforts and initiatives.

In 1971, Samuel Kaymen and a group of environmentalists founded the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) in Vermont, which became a key player in promoting organic farming at a regional level. NOFA’s founding was part of a broader, growing awareness about the environmental and health impacts of conventional farming practices, particularly the use of synthetic chemicals and fossil fuels. This movement eventually contributed to the broader national conversation about organic farming.

Eventually this led to the 1990 Organic Food Production Act which established the USDA National Organic Program. The Act directed the Secretary of Agriculture to create a national organic certification program, establish a label for organically produced goods, develop a list of approved and prohibited substances for organic farming, and implement an accreditation program for certifying agents. These regulations laid the groundwork for the certification process that ensures products meet strict organic criteria.
While modern organic farming uses some technology, it is rooted in indigenous practices worldwide. Organic agriculture focuses on sustainable methods that improve soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystems while avoiding synthetic chemicals. Techniques like crop rotation, cover cropping, and composting are used to reduce erosion, conserve water, and manage pests.
To be certified organic, farmers must comply with USDA standards, maintain records, and undergo yearly inspections. However, the passion for organic farming goes beyond certification. It plays a critical role in combating environmental degradation and supporting healthy, sustainable food systems. To learn more about how organic farming works and its benefits, explore the following sections of this page.

Organic Farming

To grow food effectively, farms face many challenges including weeds, pests, limited labor support, climate change, nutrient deprived soil, and an economic market that values low-cost food available all year long. Conventional farms manage many of these challenges by relying on synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. While these synthetic products have allowed farms to manage some challenges in agriculture, they have had adverse effects such as biodiversity loss, long-term soil deprivation, reduction of nutrient quality, and impact on wildlife habitat to name a few.

Organic farms manage these challenges through various methods that are in line with natural processes. Practices like rotational grazing, cover cropping, limited soil disturbance employing low or no till methods, crop rotation, establishing pollinator habitat, and more can heavily reduce the need for external amendments and support the environment surrounding the farm. When amendments or further pest management is needed, natural fertilizers are used and non-chemical methods of integrated pest management (IPM) are implemented, such as netting and fencing.

Organic farming practices can be followed without having an organic certification. Certification is, however, a valuable tool to ensure practices are being implemented properly by annual inspections of an accredited certifying agency. This certification process and use of the Certified Organic Label also communicates to eaters that the organic practices were adhered to by the farmer.

NOFA-NH's Farm and Food Map can be viewed to find organic farms and processors in New Hampshire!

Continue reading about Organic Certification below.

Organic Certification

To be certified organic and legally use the USDA organic label and the word, ‘organic’ on food labels, farms and processors must meet the standards of the USDA National Organic Program. Some key standards and processes that must be met include:

Refraining from the use of prohibited substances, which include synthetic chemical fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides.

Providing at least 3 years of documented proof that prohibited substances have not been used on the farmland.

The development and annual approval of an Organic System Plan that documents how the farm will comply with the organic standards and be managed using those standards.