The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

7. Help Small Farmers. Most organic fams are small, diversified and independently owned and operated family farms of less that 200 acres. We have lost thousands of fam- ily farms, which continues today. Organic farming could be one of the few survival tactics left for fam- ily farms. Top 10 Reasons To Buy Organic and Local 8. Support a True Economy. Although organic foods might cost more, conven- tional food prices do not reflect hidden costs borne by taxpayers, including billions of dollars of govern- ment subsidies (not necessarily directed to farmers). Other hidden costs include pesticide regulation and testing, hazardous waste disposal and clean-up, and environmental damage. Supporting local farmers also supports the local economy. 8 1. Protect Future Generations. The average child receives four times more exposure than an adult to at least 8 widely used pesticides in the food. § 2. Prevent Soil Erosion § Soil and soil organic matter are the foundation of the 8 food chain in organic farming. Organic matter and humus prevent erosion and act as a sponge to soak up #8 more water. 9. Promote Biodiversity Mono-cropping is the practice of planting large plots of land with the same crop every year. The lack of natural diversity of plant life leaves the soil lacking in minerals and nutrients. Single crops are also susceptible to pests and diseases. Biodiversity also means taking marginal lands out of production and restoring wetlands, riparian zones and wood lots. # 3. Protect Water Quality Pesticides and excess nutrients and animal wastes get into surface and ground water. Organic farmers use composted manure, no soluble chemical fertilizers or | pesticides. They also seek to protect waterways on their farm with buffers and natural riparian zones. 10. Taste - Better Flavour. There's a good reason why many chefs use local or- ganic foods in their recipes - they taste better! Or- ganic farming starts with nourishment of the plant and ultimately our palates. Organic foods also offer greater amounts of vitamins and minerals than conventional foods. 4. Save Energy Studies (even Canadian) show that organic farmers use less energy on their farm than conventional ones do. More energy is used to produce synthetic fertilizers than to till, cultivate and harvest crops. Supporting local foods also saves trucking fuel. For more info on organic farming contact EFAOQO at efao@wightman.ca or www.efao.ca or COG at office@cog.ca or www.cog.ca 5. Keep Chemicals Off Your Plate. The bottom line is that pesticides are poisons designed to kill living organisms, and can also be harmful to humans. In addition to cancer, pesticides are implicated in birth defects, nerve damage and genetic mutation. Vicki's Veggies 81 Morrison Point Road 476-7241 6. Protect Farm Worker Health Studies have shown that farm workers are more exposed to pesticides and have six times greater risk of fl contraction cancer. An estimated 1 million people per year § are poisoned by pesticides, mostly in developing countries.