Dealing with Pests, Weeds and Disease the Organic way There are certain things a farmer must do to avoid pests, weeds and disease such as crop rotations and keeping the soil healthy and full of nutrients (as I talked about earlier). The farmer must also remove disease vectors, weed seeds, and habitats that pests like to live in.

A disease vector is an organism, normally a biting insect or a tick that transmits a disease or parasite from one plant or animal to the next. Yuck!

The farmer must choose his crops carefully to make sure they will suit his land. If he chooses a plant that is prone to becoming a caterpillar’s dinner and he knows his land is home to lots of caterpillars – well do you think it would grow very well?!

Pests can be controlled by encouraging or introducing the predators or parasites of the pest. Revenge! Organic farms are a bug-eat-bug world. Non-synthetic controls can also be used; things like lures, traps and repellents.

Weeds can be controlled thru mowing, livestock grazing, weeding and cultivation, flame, heat or electrical treatment. They can be mulched together with other biodegradable materials. Plastic or other synthetic mulches can also be used provided they are removed before the end of growing or harvest season. Disease can be controlled by suppressing the spread of the disease organisms or applying non-synthetic biological, botanical or mineral substances.

If these actions are not enough to prevent, suppress or control the pests, weeds and disease a biological or botanical substance or a substance from the National List of allowed synthetic substances can be used.

What is Organic?