Organic cotton is generally understood as cotton, from non genetically
modified plants, that is to be grown without the use of any synthetic
agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers orpesticides.[1] Its production
also promotes and enhances biodiversity and biological cycles.[2] In the
United States cotton plantations must also meet the requirements
enforced by the National Organic Program (NOP), from the USDA, in
order to be considered organic. This institution determines the allowed
practices for pest control, growing, fertilizing, and handling of organic
crops.[3][4] As of 2007, 265,517 bales of organic cotton were produced in
24 countries and worldwide production was growing at a rate of more
than 50% per year.[5]
Contents
[hide]
• 1 Ecological footprint
• 2 Advantages
• 3 Organic certification
o 3.1 Organic
system plan[13]
o 3.2 Production[14
]
o 3.3 Handling
• 4 Pesticides
• 5 Expanding industry
• 6 Regional
• 7 See also
• 8 References
• 9 External links
[edit]Ecological footprint
Cotton covers 2.5% of the world's cultivated land yet uses 16% of the
world's insecticides, more than any other single major crop.[6] Other
environmental consequences of the elevated use of chemicals in the non
organic cotton growing methods consist of:
High levels of agrochemicals are used in the production of non-
organic, conventional cotton. Cotton production uses more chemicals
per unit area than any other crop and accounts in total for 16% of the
world's pesticides.[7]
Chemicals used in the processing of cotton pollute the air and
surface waters.
[citation needed]
Residual chemicals may irritate consumers' skin.
Decreased biodiversity and shifting equilibrium of ecosystems due
to the use of pesticides.[8]
[edit]Advantages
Cotton growers who make the transition to biologically based growing
practices expect not only to offer a healthier and cleaner product, but
also to benefit the planet. Some of the contributions to the different
ecosystems include:
Protecting surface and groundwater quality (eliminating
contaminants in surface runoff)
Reduced risk in insect and disease control by replacing insecticide
with the manipulation of ecosystems
[9]
Long-term prevention of pests through beneficial habitat planting.
Conservation of biodiversity
[10]
Eliminate the use of toxic chemicals used in cotton
Organically grown crops also yield soils with higher organic matter
content, thicker topsoil depth, higher polysaccharide content, and
lower modulus of rupture; therefore reducing considerably soil
erosion.[11]
[edit]Organic certification
It is required by the law that any producer wanting to label and sell a
product as "organic" must meet the standards established by the
Organic Food Production Act of 1990, enforced by The State organic
program (SOP)[12] This act specifies the procedures and regulations for
production and handling of organic crops.
[edit]Organic system plan[13]
Producers must elaborate an organic production or handling system plan
which must also be approved by the state certifying agency or the
USDA. This plan must include careful explanation of every process held
in the plantation, as well as the frequency with which they are performed.
A list of substances used on the crops is also necessary, along with a
description of their composition, place where they will be used, and if
possible documentation of commercial availability. This inventory of
substances is important for the regulation of allowed and prohibited
material established by the SOP.Organic cotton growers must also
provide A description of the control procedures and physical barriers
established to prevent contact of organic and non organic crops on split
operations and to avoid contact of organic production with prohibited
substance during gestation, harvesting, and handling operations .[13] This
production plan can also be transferred to other states as long as it has
already been approved by a certifying agency.
[14]
[edit]Production
Production requirements are specifically the set of changes that must be
made to field and farming practices in order for a crop to be considered
organic. To begin with, organic fields must go through a cleansing period
of three years, without the use of any prohibited substances, before
planting the first organic crop. Fields must also be equipped with
physical barriers and buzzers in order to prevent contact of organic
crops with any chemical substance product of surface runoff from crops
near by. Producers must also strive to promote soil fertility through
cultivation practices while maintaining or improving the physical,
chemical, and biological condition of the soil and minimizes soil erosion.
Organic growers must also implement practices to support biodiversity.
Such practices include integrated pest management (IPM), which
consists of the manipulation of ecosystems that benefit both the crops
and the organisms that live around it. In addition to these practices,
producers may only apply crop nutrients and soil amendments included
on the National List of synthetic substances allowed in crop production.
[edit]Handling
Handling procedures are all the processes related to product packaging,
pest control in handling processing facilities among others. The SOP
allows the use of mechanical or biological methods for the purpose of
retarding spoilage of products,but at the same time it prohibits the use of
volatile synthetic solvents in processed products or any ingredient that is
labeled as organic.
[edit]Pesticides
Since organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, it
should contain fewer pesticides than conventional cotton. Pesticides
used in the production of conventional cotton
include orthophosphates such as phorate
and methamidophos, endosulfan (highly toxic to farmers[15], but not very
environmentally persistent) and aldicarb.[16]. Other pesticides persisting
in cotton fields in the United States
includeTrifluralin, Toxaphene and DDT [17]. Although the last two
chemicals are no longer used in the United States [18] their long
breakdown period and difficulty in removal ensures their persistence.
Thus even organic cotton fields may contain them since conventional
cotton fields can be transitioned to organic fields in 2–3 years.
[edit]Expanding industry
Diverse institutions and campaigns are now educating the community
about organic cotton and supporting growers on the switch to organic
farming. The Sustainable Cotton Project is helping farmers in the
transition from chemically dependent crops to more biological sound
approaches.[19] This institution has launched the Cleaner Cotton project,
which promises to produce cotton with 73% less use of chemicals.[20] The
Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)also joined this effort
since 2003. Their purpose is to educate farmers and the public about
biological farming techniques and the importance of reducing chemical
use in fiber and food production and supporting local farmers.[21] In 2003,
SCP joined the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) to
strengthen its operations and reach other farm and consumer audiences.
CAFF and SCP provide growers with information about biological
farming techniques and educate the public about the importance of
reducing chemical use in fiber and food production and supporting local
farmers.
[edit]Regional
Organic cotton is currently being grown successfully in many countries;
the largest producers (as of 2007) are Turkey, India and China.[5]
Organic cotton production in Africa takes place in at least 8 countries.
The earliest producer (1990) was the SEKEM organization in Egypt; the
farmers involved later convinced the Egyptian government to convert
400,000 hectares of conventional cotton production to integrated
methods,[22] achieving a 90% reduction in the use of
synthetic pesticides in Egypt and a 30% increase in yields.[23]
[edit]
