incidence of eczema.)

The environmental benefits of organic farming are well-established and accepted by respected wildlife groups such as the RSPB and WWF, as well as the Government's own conservation advisors. A review of 66 published studies concluded that on average wildlife is 50 per cent more abundant on organic farms and there are 30 per cent more species than on non-organic farms.

The Soil Association has never claimed organic food doesn't contain additives, only that it contains far fewer. Johnston claims, "at least three dozen 'E' numbers are allowed". Not quite. Soil Association standards permit 30 additives, some of which like iron, thiamine (Vitamin B1) and vitamins in baby food are required by law, 90 per cent fewer than the 300-plus additives allowed in non-organic food.

Nor do we say our organic farmers 'don't use any pesticides', just that they can only use four with special permission, compared to the 311 freely available to non-organic farmers. Polls show the majority of people don't want pesticides in their food, yet 40 per cent of fruit and vegetable items on sale in the EU are contaminated with pesticides ­

and one food item in 30 contains pesticides above legal limits. Consumers are right to be concerned, given the European Commission's acknowledgement that 'long-term exposure to pesticides can lead to serious disturbances to the immune system, sexual disorders, cancers, sterility, birth defects, damage to the nervous system and genetic damage'.

The criticism most commonly levelled against organic farming is that it 'can't feed the world'. A Danish study presented last year at a UN Food & Agriculture Organisation conference challenges this, finding there wouldn't be any serious negative effect on food security for sub-Saharan Africa if 50 per cent of agricultural land in the food exporting regions of Europe and North America converted to organic by 2020 and that a similar shift in sub-Saharan Africa could help the region's hungry by reducing reliance on imports.

The UK organic market has grown more than 25 per cent year on year over the past decade, a cause for celebration for those wanting more sustainable food and farming, but clearly worrying for those flogging pesticides and artificial fertilisers.
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