Women and children in developing countries often have to work with pesticides with no protective clothing - to grow crops which often end up in our food. Organic food is produced without the use of synthetic pesticides. And in factory farming, animals are fed large quantities of antibiotics as a preventative measure or to boost animals' growth rates. This has serious implications for human and animal health. Overuse in this way produces antibiotic resistant disease causing bacteria which threaten the ability of antibiotics to control infections in humans and animals.
Organic food is produced without the routine use of antibiotics.
Provide better lives for animals To obtain organic certification in the UK animal welfare conditions need to be met. For example battery hens are not allowed in organic farming. Animals must have outdoor access on organic farms. But at the moment organic farms and farms converting to organic,make up only about 3 per cent of total UK farmland, and 70 per cent of organic produce sold in the UK has to be imported. It is no coincidence that the four countries in Europe with the highest percentage of agricultural land in organic production have set targets, and developed and implemented strategies or action plans to ensure that those targets are met.