Organic Farming

The discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century brought remarkable changes to modern medicine, enabling people to live longer, healthier lives. But in the last generation, new strains of bacteria have emerged that are resistant to these wonder drugs. One of the main causes of resistance is the overuse of antibiotics. That includes drugs given to commercially raised livestock, and this can lead to serious threats to human health if the animal is diseased. Hence, organic farming – which means raising animals and crops without using drugs or chemical fertilizers – is gradually becoming popular. New Horizons is such a farm in the American state of North Carolina. This farm is raising meat without the use of chemicals. Eleven-year-old Chance Lorraine likes to show visitors around. Here, on 20 hectares, his parents raise organic vegetables, pigs, Black Angus beef cattle, and chickens. There are also water buffalo. But what really sets New Horizons apart from commercial livestock farms are three metal silos near the pastures. “We keep feed in all three of these. That’s cow feed, that’s chicken feed, and the other one is pig feed,” says Chance. The feed is special because of what it doesn’t have: no growth hormones, no animal by-products, no chemicals against worms, and no antibiotics. The animals in the field that eat this feed eventually end up in cold storage at the New Horizons Farm store.