Organic farming specifically refers to farming methods that incorporate the use of purely natural products and techniques without the use of chemicals. These include the use of worm culture and animal and green compost for fertilizers, crop rotation and natural pest management techniques.
The U.S. National Organic Program tries to define the term “organic farming”, but as always, there are differences of opinion and this time the differences lie at the grass root level. Organic farming generally means attaining an agricultural goal without the use of harmful chemicals. A farmer can achieve this even by exceeding the standards laid down by the NOP.
Organic farming does not mean cutting out the use of science and new technology completely. Farming was always organic, it was only infiltrated by newer faster ways of growing things such as using urea and other chemical fertilizers, genetically altered vegetables, fruits and crops that grow faster and out of season, and a host of other methods that in some way reduced or damaged the natural properties of the food.
Organic farming still uses modern technology such as harvesters, tractors to till the soil, and crop rotation to aerate and retain soil fertility. Yet, this system adheres to the use of conventional systems such as worm-culture pits to decompose waste for fertilizers, natural biological systems and water use among other natural techniques.