In these times when organic foods are increasingly gaining approval among health-conscious people, more and more farmers are going into organic production.

For the farmer-members of the Kilolog Multi-Purpose Farmers Cooperative (KIMFACO) in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, producing organic rice has become very rewarding as they have not only found a sure market for their produce, but likewise preserve the well-being of the people in the community. That is because they have already withdrawn from the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in rice farming which pose health and environmental hazards.

With the initiative from the local government unit of Magsaysay in partnership with Don Bosco Diocesan Youth Center, Inc. and with the grant aid from the Canadian Government, organic rice production was proposed in 2002 as one of the flagship projects under Magsaysays Sustainable Agriculture Program.

Commercial production of organic rice took off in 2003 when initial harvests were sold at the community level. At first there was difficulty in introducing organic rice to the consumers due to its higher price (current price is P40 per kilo). Again with the assistance from LGU, organic rice was repackaged and was given the brand name MagRice, which stands for Magsaysay Rice.

HOW MAGRICE IS PRODUCED
MagRice, as claimed, is organically grown by the farmer-partners in the community. Carlos C. Ortiz, program manager, says that farmers adopt biodynamic and Korean natural farming methods and preparations by using indigenous materials and preparations. These include milk and honey spray, detoxified rice seeds, natural minerals, composts and herbs.

Milk and honey spray, according to Ortiz, is traditionally used by farmers in European and Western countries for their orchard. Here in the Philippines, it is the first time that milk and honey spray is used for rice production, he said. The concoction can attract natural enemies in the field, improves aroma and grain quality, and claimed to make the grains heavier.

On one hand, the use of detoxified rice seeds (seeds produced from third to sixth croppings) is aimed to make sure that the resulting crops will be free from the traces of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The farmers carefully practice roguing or elimination of mixes to preserve the purity of the seeds. Only the traditional inbred varieties from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) are planted by farmer-partners.

Relatively, measures are adopted to prevent contamination of the crops. One of which is building buffer zones by planting vegetables along the paddies and constructing canalets at every boundary.

The farmers were also taught on soil nutrient management and development. They practice composting and making organic fertilizers right at their own farm. They also apply natural minerals such as crystal quarts to meet the mineral requirement of the crops.

Korean technologies such as the use of fish amino acid, plant enzymes and juices to supplement nutrients are continuously practiced.

GOOD YIELD
By adopting the recommended technology for MagRice, yield stands at three to 4.5 tons per hectare (t/ha) for farmers who are first time in organic rice farming, and 5 to 5.5 t/ha for those who are into organic farming for quite a longer time.

DEMAND IS INCREASING
On the average, 50 bags of MagRice are sold in every outlet per month. Currently, there are two authorized distributors of MagRice in Magsaysay. The demand increases during lean seasons when some of the consumers turn to organic rice for their rice requirements.

One typical problem encountered in organic rice production is the low supply. To address this, farmer-partners are being encouraged to sell their produce directly to the co-op to maximizc their profit. The farmers are insured of good price for their organic palay which is bought at a higher price per kilo.

At present, there are approximately 3,000 rice farmers in Magsaysay. Out of this number, 143 farmers are into organic farming.

MARKETING
One marketing strategy developed for MagRice is selling it at the government and private offices. LGU Magsaysay also continuously promotes MagRice by attending trade fairs in the province and nearby provinces. And it did not take long before MagRice became one of the bestsellers in these trade fairs.

MagRice is available in 2, 5, 25 and 50-kilogram packaging. One can choose from aromatic rice, long grain softy white rice, red rice and fancy rice.

Organic food bars are made for toddlers by many reputable baby food companies. One such company that makes special organic food bars for toddlers is Earth’s Best. According to the companies web site, the company started when two brothers, Ron and Arnie Koss began the organic food company in 1985. The reason that they began the company was because “they wanted babies to begin their lives with wholesome and safe food diets based upon organic farming practices designed to enrich Earth’s soil and water supplies for future generations.” Included in their product line are special organic food bars that come in various flavors and are sure to tickle the taste buds of little ones.

Another type of organic food bar that is available for older kids is a CLIF ZBaR. These are organic energy bars that are baked whole grain bars without any sugar or high fructose corn syrup. They are also made without using any trans fats. These organic food bars are perfect right before the big game or a family outing. They help to keep the energy level of children up, and the company also has a line of food bars for adults. These bars can be found in the company’s organic foods online store at CLIFZBaR.

Organic food bars for kids are now widely available. If they cannot be found in the local grocery or organic health food store, a person can always find several different brands online. With childhood obesity at an all time high, now more than ever, kids need to eat healthy. Lifestyles are busier today and people are constantly on the move. With the convenience of organic food bars, children can remain healthy and eat healthy as well. This in itself is the best reason to eat organically.

Organic food is food that’s free from tampering. This means no pesticides have been used to clear off bugs, no herbicides to rid weeds, no human growth in animals to make them buffer, and no gene therapy of any kind. Everything is as natural as possible.

Basically one could think of organic food as the way food was grown before technology.

But that’s neither here nor there.

A big issue with conventional food today like produce products is the addition of herbicides or pesticides to keep bugs or weeds from destroying the crops. Many people feel these chemicals can be truly harmful to humans and refuse to eat anything that might be laced with them.

Organic produce doesn’t have any possible chemical residue. Instead or herbicides farmers will hand-pick the weeds from their farm. They’ll turn the soil frequently, and they’ll also use plenty of mulch.

As for bugs, the farmers try to introduce bug and animal life that will kill off bugs that want to kill the farm’s plants.

Another controversial subject in the world of food relates to cows. Many ranches that produce cows will use growth hormones to get the most out of the cow (enhances the size of the meat).

Organic foods use no such hormones. In fact, cows raised on farms that are organic enjoy a life of grazing in fields, and not necessarily being fed the same rubbish that a conventional cow may get.

Organic foods also prohibit gene therapy. Gene therapy is taking something like an apple and manipulating the genome so that the apple will do certain things apples wouldn’t do normally, like resist harmful chemicals.

Organic food is grown naturally without any kind of addition at all. No gene tampering, no chemicals, just the most natural way food can grown or raised.

Where can you get some organic food? That’s a tough one because organic food isn’t sold at every grocery store. You’ll have to do some digging to find the best products at the best prices.

Costs of organic food are higher than conventional because of the extra labor the farmers have to endure. Weeding by hand is a prime example of what’s going to make the prices rise.

Again though, organic food is simply food that is grown or raised completely naturally. No chemical additives, no gene therapy, no manipulation whatsoever.