Actual State and Health Effects of Organic Farming / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

In second thoughts over the conventional method of farming with chemicals, premised on the massive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizer, organic farming, the necessity of which was advocated several years ago, is now in wide use across Japan. There are calls for checks into the effects of organic farming on man's health in a medical perspective.<BR>Given those calls, I and colleagues of mine made studies, such as a fact-finding survey on the health status of people engaged in organic farming, a check into the effects of agricultural chemicals on human bodies and a series of animal tests which would be essential to the check.<BR>On the basis of the findings, we assessed the way organic farming is today and discussed the necessity of pursuing organic farming. This issue may well be characterized as a pursuit of the way agriculture ought to be not only in Japan but elsewhere in the world in the future as well. It is not just a social issue for farm producers and consumers. It also constitutes a global environmental issue on soil and nature.<BR>Though we have just taken the first step in striving to solve this question, we have taken to heart the importance evolving organic farming as a national movement along with the people.