We drive by them all the time, open farms field with cows grazing and leafy fields blowing in the wind. They’re truly a beautiful sight. Unfortunately though… what we see less of is the reality of farming.
As you can imagine, factory farming is the main source of our world’s food system, producing millions of pounds worth of meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables everyday -often with the use of pesticides, fertilizers, steroids, and other chemicals to make them grow faster and bigger. Animals are locked in tight cages, crops are constantly sprayed, and all this is packaged and sold to us as… food?
For the majority of big corporations, it’s all about their bottom line. They want to produce more, for less, and keep the demand high. They launch creative advertising campaigns that make us believe they care, while hiding the reality.
So let’s put aside this gloomy picture for a moment and see the good side of farming. The way farming used to be: Responsible Farming!
Responsible Farming focuses on 3 main areas:
- Sustainability
- Ethics
- Natural Production
Sustainability: Sustainable agriculture is focused on energy and environmental conservation. It means using modern techniques to yield more production with less energy. Examples include permaculture, hydroponics, renewable energy resources, crop rotation, minimizing transportation and CO2 emissions, and more!
Ethics: Responsible farming absolutely prioritizes ethics by providing the best for the community. It means treating animals with true love and care and growing crops naturally, without the use of dangerous chemicals that can harm us or leak into the environment.
Natural Production: It simply means not using any harmful chemicals. Organic farming is responsible farming as organic crops are grown without the use of any chemicals or genetic modification. Ultimately, this means less output, but it absolutely wields safer foods.
So why should we support responsible farming?
Where do we even start? There are so many reasons!
Responsible Farming contributes to the conservation of our environment, prevents pollution, saves energy, supports animal welfare, and helps biodiversity. Its production is safer for our bodies, our health, and the health of our planet. Responsible farming is simply better for us, our planet, and our wellness.
More and more, farmers are understanding the importance of responsible farming. Loosening their dependence on the pressure of big corporations forcing them to produce more for less, and focusing on what’s right.
Here’s what you can do.
Every food has a story, on how it was grown and got to you. We recommend looking for foods that are labelled Organic or non-GMO, as much as possible. Or reading the label to understand that story, especially where and how they were grown.
And most importantly, eat consciously. Every time you choose to eat a responsibly grown, whole food, you’ve made an absolute win for your body! Ultimately promoting the best option for your body’s health and wellness. Eat on! And eat responsibly!
Today’s Daily Action
Take a look at the food in your fridge and pantry.
Is it easy to tell where they come from and how they were grown?
The more processed a food, the harder it is to tell, of course. But think about it, how much of your food is most likely truly responsibly grown?