Livestock Production: Organic Cattle and Pigs The History of Organic Farming Organic farming is the oldest form of agriculture on our planet. Until after World War II, agriculture without harmful oil-based sources was the only way to grow crops. There were no dangerous fertilizers and pesticides obtained from petroleum-based products. During World War II, many agricultural technologies were created. For example, ammonium used for munitions during World War II evolved into nitrate fertilizers, and the production of organophosphates led to the creation of powerful insecticides. These technical advances have led to economic gains at the cost of severe environmental and social consequences. Examples of harmless organic methods would be: crop rotations, cover crops, and natural-based products to improve soil fertility. Since genetically modified organisms encourage the use of synthetic inputs with unknown risks, GMOs are not allowed in organic farming (Delate, Duyvejonck, 2011). In the 1960s and 1970s, Americans began to think more about where their food comes from and how it is produced. . Consumers have become concerned about pesticide use. It has become very important in the minds of consumers not to use pesticides in organic farming. Due to the growth of organic farming a list of organic standards has been developed and third-party certifiers have become popular. These agencies were independent and provided farmers with an assessment (plan review and on-site inspections) (Baier, Coffey, There are strict regulations required to raise certified organic meat. The USDA defines “natural” meat as: “All meat raised for human consumption with no additives and minimally processed” (Topline Foods, 2014), according to USDA regulations, any meat can be labeled “natural” if it contains no artificial flavors, dyes, preservatives or other artificial ingredients Meats can choose to eliminate the use of steroids, growth hormones and antibiotics from their animals. They could also produce their animals on conventional farms full of steroids, hormones, antibiotics and GMO feed a question of processing (USDA Organic,