What is the Difference Between Biodynamic and Organic Farming

The key difference between biodynamic and organic farming is that biodynamic farming is a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming, while organic farming is a practice that aims to produce high-quality food without the use of artificial fertilizers

Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating crops and livestock and is the main aspect playing a key role in the rise and development of sedentary human civilization. Through different time phases, farming evolved in different directions. Hence, modern farming consists of different techniques, including biodynamic and organic farming techniques.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Biodynamic Farming
3. What is Organic Farming
4. Similarities – Biodynamic and Organic Farming
5. Biodynamic vs Organic Farming in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Biodynamic vs Organic Farming

What Biodynamic Farming?

Biodynamic farming or agriculture refers to techniques that involve the use of manures and composts and avoiding the use of synthetic or artificial fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides on soil and plants. It was developed in 1924 by a philosopher named Rudolf Steiner in Germany. This development was a response to a request by farmers who noticed the degraded soil conditions and deterioration of the health and quality of crops and livestock due to artificial chemical fertilizers.

Biodynamic farming treats plant growth, soil fertility, and livestock care. Methods that are unique to biodynamics include the treatment of crops, soil, and animals as a single system, emphasis on local productions and distribution systems, the use of traditional methods, and the development of various new local breeds. It uses a variety of herbal additives for manures and compost as field sprays. Biodynamics is known as the first modern organic agriculture.

Biodynamic techniques use management methods to restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony. The features of such methods include diversification of crops, avoiding chemical treatments in soil, and off-farm inputs such as decentralized production and distribution consideration of the various influences in biological farming. Various biodynamic certification systems are used by biodynamic farmers in order to maintain the production standards used in both farming and processing food. This helps to protect both the consumer and producer of biodynamic production.

What is Organic Farming?

Organic farming is a system of farming and food production that is beneficial to humans, animals, plants, and to the whole planet. The farmers who practice organic farming aim to produce high-quality food without the use of artificial fertilizers. Organic farming follows a strict set of standards, legally complying with rules and regulations. These ensure that farms sustain the health of soils, ecosystems, animals, and people.

The standards of organic farming are built on key principles of agriculture and include health, ecology, care, and fairness. Organic farming avoids the use of pesticides, fungicides, weedicides, and herbicides that are synthetic. Therefore, organic farmers use naturally derived substances such as citronella and clove oil as pesticides. However, organic farming aims to create a natural balance between plants and animals. Another alternative for pesticides is encouraging the wildlife population, such as birds, beetles, and other beneficial insects, to feed on pests that harm the crops. Organic farming strictly avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers as the principle behind organic farming is based on the natural nourishment of plants using fertile soils. Therefore, farmers use clover and legumes for nitrogen fixation.

Organic livestock farming also allows animals to behave freely in a wide area of space and fresh air raised in conditions that suit their natural behavior. Genetic modifications are also avoided in organic farming. Additives such as artificial colors, preservatives, and processing aids are highly restricted in organic food products. Moreover, organic certification bodies work with farmers and food processors to ensure the food meets organic standards.

What are the Similarities Between Biodynamic and Organic Farming?

• Biodynamic and organic farming are wo farming techniques.
• Both techniques practice organic forms of farming.
• Moreover, they consist of similar certification standards.
• They are eco-friendly methods.
• Both farming techniques do not use chemical fertilizers.

What is the Difference Between Biodynamic and Organic Farming?

Biodynamic farming is a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming, while organic farming is a practice that aims to produce high-quality food without the use of artificial fertilizers. Thus, this is the key difference between biodynamic and organic farming. Biodynamic farming is a more advanced form of farming than organic farming. Furthermore, with reference to financial viability, biodynamic farming is less viable than organic farming.

The below infographic presents the differences between biodynamic and organic farming in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Biodynamic vs Organic Farming

Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating crops and livestock. Biodynamic and organic are two different farming techniques that function on a common platform with many differences. Biodynamics consists of metaphysical and spiritual roots with that to aims and ideals, while organics does not consist of such. Biodynamic is a form of farming that involve the use of manures and composts without synthetic or artificial fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides on soil and plants. Organic is a system of farming to produce high-quality food without the use of artificial fertilizers. Both farming techniques do not use chemical fertilizers. So, this summarizes the difference between biodynamic and organic farming.

Reference:

1. “Organic Farming.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
2. “Demeter U.S.A.” Biodynamic Principles and Practices – Demeter USA.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Biodynamic vineyard with winter cover crop” By www.bluewaikiki.com – Flickr: Napa Valley (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Organic farming in Meru county, Kenya” By HEZEKIEL GIKAMBI – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia