September marks National Organic Month, an entire month dedicated to celebrating the organic way of life. Why? This month-long campaign serves as a yearly reminder for all of us to appreciate and consume organic produce, rather than the shiny ones pumped full of chemicals. Personally, it’s one of my favourite national celebratory times.
WHY IS NATIONAL ORGANIC MONTH IMPORTANT?
- It’s educational: National Organic Month provides a platform to educate consumers about organic farming principles and benefits. It aims to help people understand how organic agriculture prioritises soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable farming methods while avoiding synthetic pesticides and genetically modified organisms.
- Supports local farmers: The campaign recognises the hard work of organic farmers and encourages consumers to choose organic products. By doing so, people can contribute to the growth of the organic farming sector and its positive environmental impacts.
- It promotes healthy eating: National Organic Month emphasises the nutritional benefits of organic food and encourages people to make healthier choices. Organic produce often has lower pesticide residues and higher nutrient content.
- It spreads environmental awareness: Organic farming practices are generally more environmentally friendly, with a focus on reducing chemical inputs and conserving natural resources. National Organic Month aims to highlight how organic farming contributes to a healthier planet.
- For its events: Various events, promotions, and activities are organised throughout the month, such as farmers’ markets, workshops, farm tours, and cooking demonstrations. These activities allow people to engage with the organic community and learn more about organic food and farming practices.
This campaign’s goal is to encourage people to explore the benefits of organic products, support organic farmers, and make conscious choices for their health and the environment.
A BIT OF HISTORY
The organic farming movement was born in the early 1900s in response to the growing use of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers and pesticides in modern agriculture. Initially, a small group of farmers formed different organisations who eventually came together to establish the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) in 1972, which promoted biodynamic farming and established the first organic certification program.
To raise awareness of the benefits of organic food and farming, the Soil Association launched a month-long campaign in September 2013 called “National Organic Month” or “Organic September.” These benefits include the protection of biological diversity and wildlife, contribution to the fight against climate change, reduced pesticide exposure, and access to high-quality food.
As people have become more aware of the link between diet, health, and the environment, organic food sales have skyrocketed in the early 2000s and continue to do so, even with the cost of living crisis glooming upon us. Of course, especially when it comes to the food and beverage industries, there is a growing trend towards clean labelling and transparency, which has been misleading in the past.
Ecosystems are becoming uninhabitable for certain animals, forcing wildlife to migrate outside of their usual patterns in search of food and livable conditions, whilst other animals are dying due to climate change.
With climate change, diet-related illnesses, and wildlife reduction on the rise, there is an urgent need to transform our food systems and try as much as possible to choose organic produce.
