What is Organic Farming?
Item	Conventional Farming	"Natural" Farming	Organic Farming
Weed Control	Use chemical herbicides	Use chemical herbicides	Use machine cultivation, Crop rotation and flaming
Insect Control	Use chemical insecticides	Use chemical insecticides	Use crop rotation, use beneficial insects to control harmful ones
Fertilizers	Use non-sustainable petroleum-based chemical fertilizers	Use non-sustainable petroleum-based chemical fertilizers	Use manure, cover crops, crop rotation, and approved natural occurring elements
Raising Animals
Water	No testing required	No testing required	Tests for nitrates & colloform required
Access to pastures	Not required	Not required	Required
Humane treatment	Not required	Not required	Required
Feed	No restrictions	Not uniform. Some states require no hormone implants, and no anti-biotics	No hormone implants, anit-biotics, or animal byproducts in feed allowed
GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms)	No prohibitions	No prohibitions	Prohibitted as crop and feed barriers required for neighboring fields
Third party verification and audit trail	None required	None required	Required. Farmers pay for and are requred to have operation audited annually
Slaughter Facility approval	Only state or federally inspected	Only state or federally inspected	Must be organically approved and inspected. Exceptional testing required
Which is best for the environment?		Guess who?
Which is best for you, the consumer?		This is your decision