Bed Bug Life Cycle

1. Of, relating to, or derived from living matter: organic soils.
• Chemistry of, relating to, or denoting compounds containing carbon (other than simple binary compounds and salts) and chiefly or ultimately of biological origin. Compare with inorganic.
• (of food or farming methods) produced or enchanting production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial agents.

Organic farming is a process that involves not using artificial or toxic pesticides, rotating crops and putting nutrients back into the soil instead of allowing the farming process to "deaden" or leach all things from the soil. It also prohibits the use of antibiotics, sewage sludge, genetic engineering, artificial hormones or irradiation.

These are all practices that were tasteless before World War Ii, when the war endeavor created a growing need for more food to hold the troops and the workers at home and "faster, more efficient" farming methods overtook the older and more sustainable methods. Manure and compost gave way to chemical fertilizers, growing companion plants to draw pests away from primary crops fell victim to using toxic pesticides and weeding fields by hand was supplanted with herbicides, all of which ultimately don't replenish the soil used to grow the crops.

There has been a movement to go back to these farming procedures but the query becomes, "who says it's 'organic'?"

In 1990, the Farm Bill included something called the Organic Foods production Act, or Ofpa Once the bill passed, the Usda created the National Organic Program, or Nop. Their job is to accredit the state agencies and inexpressive organizations that then certify organic producers.

At the same time, the Usda created the National Organic protection Board to set new standards for organic farming. The Nosb consists of four farmers, two handlers/processors, one retailer, one scientist, three consumer/public-interest advocates, three environmentalists, and a certifying agent and they suggest the Secretary of Agriculture on setting and regulating these standards. The Nosb defined "organic" as follows in 1995.

Organic agriculture is an ecological production management law that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, assert and heighten ecological harmony.

'Organic' is a labeling term that denotes products produced under the authority of the Organic Foods production Act. The necessary guidelines for organic production are to use materials and practices that heighten the ecological equilibrium of natural systems and that combine the parts of the farming law into an ecological whole.

Organic agriculture practices cannot ensure that products are wholly free of residues; however, methods are used to minimize pollution from air, soil and water.

Organic food handlers, processors and retailers bond to standards that assert the integrity of organic agricultural products. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people."

Farms, producers, distributors and retailers are all now able to be "certified organic" by Nop state agencies an inexpressive organizations. Different grades of "certified organic" exist for assorted products and logos can be found on packaging to help you determine if they are in compliance.

The grading law will depend on the farming methods, the ingredients in a processed product, the processing techniques and display. All of these have regulations they must meet to be determined "certified organic" For instance, a grocery story has to whether put organic vegetables that are under a sprayer in their own section, or above the conventionally grown vegetables to prevent pesticides from dripping down and contaminating the organic section.

So why does this matter in my bedroom?

Fabric also has to go through organic certification and each step, or enterprise must meet those certifications. Cotton not only has to be farmed with organic methods but must also be cleaned without chlorine bleach, dyed without harmful chemicals and not be treated with toxic flame-retardants. Many citizen have, or can develop, allergies to these chemicals and sleeping in an allergy filled environment makes for a lousy night.

Many artificial fibers also allow for habitation by bed bugs and dust mites. There are available organic fibers (such as wool and organic latex) that discourage these critters and keep down allergies and bite marks.

Organic mattresses, mattress pads, sheets and blankets are all available and are a much healthier alternative to artificial or conventionally processed fibers.

If you're going to all the problem to protect your internal organs by eating organic food, shouldn't you protect the largest organ on your body, your skin, by sleeping surrounded by organic fibers?