| Healthy food is the result of sustainable agriculture | | | | farming and food products. |
| systems that are farming methods and processes | | | | It includes a number of requirements: The fertility of |
| geared to the growth, harvesting, and delivery of | | | | the soil being continuously maintained and improved; |
| healthy food to the consumer while taking | | | | The availability and quality of water being protected |
| environmentally safe agriculture measures. | | | | and enhanced; The protection of bio diversity for |
| The new generation of Americans are more aware | | | | farms, farm workers, and all other factors in food |
| of the harmful chemical additives and environmental | | | | production chain; and programs to minimize the |
| threats of traditional or commercial methods of | | | | impact on the environment concerning the discharge |
| factory farming and food production. Along with the | | | | of waste and greenhouse gas emissions. |
| need to feed themselves and their kids healthy food, | | | | While there is no widely recognized body for |
| this knowledge is bringing about change in the food | | | | certification of Sustainable Food and Agriculture |
| buying habits and diet of Americans. | | | | systems, the other components, Organic and Bio |
| Much of the food we find at today's supermarkets | | | | Dynamic Food and Agriculture systems have |
| are grown, processed and sold with harmful chemical | | | | certification standards. |
| food additives. These additives change the way food | | | | Certified Organic Food is the result farming without |
| tastes, looks, and increases the food's shelf life. | | | | the application of harmful pesticides, artificial |
| To maximize profitability and production, large | | | | fertilizers, contamination by human or industrial waste, |
| commercial farms feed animals low doses of | | | | ionizing radiation, food additives, and not be |
| antibiotics for faster growth. This contributes to a | | | | genetically modified. Where livestock is grown, they |
| national health issue of the growth of | | | | must be free of antibiotics and without the use of |
| antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans. | | | | growth hormones. |
| Large factory farms without sustainable systems | | | | Bio Dynamic Food production is a more stringent level |
| often have harmful pesticides, fertilizers, and | | | | of food production than organic farming. It is both a |
| anti-biotic by products that finds it way into ground | | | | philosophy and art form of agriculture. |
| water, rivers, and streams. These harmful residues | | | | The Demeter Association, with branches around the |
| lead to the contamination of aquatic ecosystems and | | | | world, is the certification body for bio dynamic |
| drinking water. | | | | farming. Its certification standards are the highest |
| While there is an increasing awareness and | | | | level of sustainable farming achieving one of the |
| corresponding increase in sustainable farming, there is | | | | smallest carbon footprints of any agricultural method. |
| also the need for large factory farms to maximize | | | | Bio dynamics takes a systems approach to |
| food production and profitability. In response to this | | | | agriculture farming where each farm component or |
| demand by the large commercial factory farms, | | | | action is viewed in total as it affects the others. The |
| many of the world's largest chemical corporations are | | | | systems approach includes the use of bio dynamic |
| shifting out of commodity petrochemicals into | | | | sprays, retention of nutrients, crop rotation designs, |
| Agricultural Biotechnology. Since 1996, Monsanto and | | | | weed control, plant pests, and the recycling of |
| Hoechst (Germany) have changed their business | | | | organic wastes and composting. For livestock |
| plans by spinning off its industrial chemicals business | | | | production, it includes animal nutrition, the disposition |
| and has since made huge investments in acquiring | | | | of animal wastes; the mix and rotation of animal |
| seed and agricultural biotechnology companies. | | | | species on pastures to maximize grazing patterns and |
| Sustainable Agriculture Systems are geared to the | | | | minimize pasture borne parasites. |
| production of healthy and environmentally safe | | | | |