Methods of organic farming vary. Some farms follow the strict production guidelines of a particular regulatory code, others develop their own independent systems. However, all organic systems share common goals and practices: • No use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, and No GMOs; • Protection of soils (from erosion, nutrient depletion, structural break down); • Promotion of biodiversity (e.g. growing a variety of crops than a single crop); • No drug (e.g. antibiotics, hormones) and access to outdoor grazing, for livestock and poultry. Within this framework, farmers develop their own organic production system, determined by factors like climate, crop selection, local regulations, and the preferences of the individual farmer. In many parts of the world, organic certification is available to farms for a fee. Depending on the country, certification is either overseen by the government or handled entirely by private certification bodies. Where laws exist, it is usually illegal for a non-certified farm to call itself or its products organic. It is important to make a distinction between organic farming and organic food. Farming is concerned with producing fresh products – vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy, eggs – for immediate consumption, or for use as ingredients in processed food. The manufacture of most commercially processed food is well beyond the scope of farming. It is also important to note that organic farming is not “new”. In fact, it is a reaction against the large-scale, chemical-based farming practices that have become the norm in food production over the last 80 years. The differences between organic farming and modern conventional farming account for most of the controversy and claims surrounding organic agriculture and organic food. Until recently, the comparison looked something like this: