Organic farming is a system of agricultural production that focuses on ecological processes, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than relying on synthetic inputs. It seeks to maintain and improve soil health, conserve water, and reduce pollution by working with natural biological systems. The modern organic farming movement is a specific philosophical response to the rise of industrial agriculture in the 20th century. It was born out of concern that chemical-intensive practices were damaging the long-term health of soil, plants, animals, and people. This movement represents a historical timeline, moving from individual experiments to a formalized global industry.
The Intellectual Foundations of the Movement
The earliest intellectual seeds of the modern movement began to sprout in Europe and Asia during the 1920s, a time when chemical fertilizers were becoming widely adopted. One of the first articulated responses came from Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, who introduced the principles of Biodynamic agriculture in 1924. Steiner’s approach viewed the farm as a single, self-sustaining organism that should thrive through internal biodiversity and a closed-loop system of fertility. This philosophy emphasized the integration of crops and livestock, directly challenging the industrial trend toward specialized, chemical-dependent monocultures.
Around the same time, British agricultural scientist Sir Albert Howard conducted extensive research in India. From 1924 to 1931, he developed the Indore Process, a systematic method for transforming mixed organic waste into rich, stable humus. This composting technique relied on careful layering of plant residues, animal manure, and soil, managed with proper aeration and moisture. His work demonstrated a practical alternative to synthetic fertilizers by focusing on the “Law of Return,” cycling all waste materials back into the soil.
Howard synthesized his observations in his influential 1940 book, An Agricultural Testament. The book argued that the health of the soil, plants, animals, and humans is indivisible, a foundational tenet of the movement. He observed that crops grown in healthy, humus-rich soil exhibited resistance to pests and diseases, suggesting that chemical interventions treated symptoms rather than causes. These early thinkers provided the philosophical and technical blueprint for an agriculture based on natural processes.
Coining the Term and Early Dissemination
The movement gained its definitive name in 1940 with the publication of Look to the Land by English agriculturalist Lord Northbourne. Northbourne coined the phrase “organic farming” to describe a holistic system where the farm is treated as a unified, living organism, contrasting it with “chemical farming.” He viewed the farm’s components—soil, plants, animals, and humans—as intrinsically linked. Coining the term provided a clear label for the growing philosophical rejection of industrial practices.
This new terminology quickly crossed the Atlantic, championed by J.I. Rodale, a Pennsylvania entrepreneur and health advocate. Inspired by Sir Albert Howard’s writings, Rodale saw the potential for non-chemical agriculture to improve public health. He purchased a farm near Emmaus, Pennsylvania, to experiment with Howard’s methods and share his findings with a wider audience.
In May 1942, Rodale launched Organic Farming and Gardening magazine, which proved instrumental in moving the concept from academic circles to home gardeners and small-scale farmers. The magazine simplified the principles of soil health and composting, offering practical advice and fostering a community around the new movement. Rodale’s publications popularized the idea of “organic” as a set of farming practices, allowing the philosophy to spread throughout North America.
Establishing Formal Regulatory Standards
The philosophical movement began transitioning toward an institutional structure shortly after the Second World War with the formation of non-profit organizations. In the United Kingdom, Lady Eve Balfour, who conducted the Haughley Experiment, co-founded the Soil Association in 1946. This organization was established as an educational and research body focused on the connection between farming practices and health. It began developing some of the world’s first standards for organic production, defining what “organic” meant in practice before government agencies became involved.
As the market grew, a patchwork of private and state-level standards emerged, leading to consumer confusion and a need for consistent, national oversight. This push for standardization culminated in the United States with the passage of the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) in 1990. The OFPA authorized the establishment of the National Organic Program (NOP) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This legislation was designed to set a uniform, legally enforceable standard for all agricultural products marketed as “organic” in the U.S. It created a national list of allowed and prohibited substances and established a rigorous third-party inspection and certification process for farms and handlers. The final regulations for the NOP were put into effect in 2002, marking the point where the movement officially moved from a voluntary, grassroots effort to a highly regulated, standardized industry. The creation of these formalized standards protected the integrity of the label and ensured consumer trust.