We've all paid a little extra for quality or for a brand we respect at one time or another. When you consider the value of eliminating toxic chemicals in every step of the farming and manufacturing process, you may decide the extra costs are well worth it. It all comes back to the Two World Views we were discussing in the beginning of the exhibit. It shows why, in some cases, it now costs more to produce items organically.
Raw Materials Build healthy soil using natural fertilizers, such as chicken manure, and cover crops.
Heavy doses of chemicals are used to control plant growth, soil nutrition, weeds and pests, and to prepare the crop for harvest. Pest control through the release and nurturing of beneficial insects. Weed control through mechanical or hand-hoeing techniques. Natural defoliation using organically approved materials. While cheaper than more labor-intensive methods, synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, growth regulators and defoliants create toxic runoff into ground water, are harmful to humans and wildlife and wipe out natural biological systems available to the farmer.