Sustainable Agriculture
Organic Farming Produces Abundant Food While Protecting the Planet
Oct 10, 2008
Referred to by many titles - organic, natural, alternative, regenerative, and biodynamic farming, to name a few - sustainable agriculture is a type of farming that applies the principles of nature to raising crops and livestock. At the heart of these principles is the goal of producing healthy and nutritious food in a manner that is, like nature, self-sustaining.
The Vision of Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable agriculture represents a holistic approach to growing food and protecting the environment. Yet it is concerned with much more than what takes place in the soil. According to Richard Earles, in his article “Sustainable Agriculture: An Introduction,” published in 2005 by the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, it is the “agriculture of social values, one whose success is indistinguishable from vibrant rural communities, rich lives for families on the farms, and wholesome food for everyone.”
Earles - along with other proponents of sustainable agriculture - believes that this type of farming is tied to broader issues such as declining oil reserves, food security, and the global economy. Earles’ vision of farming in conjunction with nature offers a solution to many of the critical issues that challenge the 21st century, a vision that “promotes biodiversity, recycles plant nutrients, protects soil from erosion, conserves and protects water, uses minimum tillage, and integrates crop and livestock enterprises on the farm.”
Surviving Industrialized Agriculture
During the 20th century, industry merged with agriculture in unprecedented ways, making food abundant and cheap across the United States. But this marriage has not been without consequences.
As Earles explains, the conventional model of agriculture, fueled by huge government subsidies, has severely degraded both soil and water, while steering more acres of farmland into fewer hands. With its emphasis on high production and its indifference to the environment, industrialized agriculture has reduced farmland biodiversity - which is itself a key to food security - and has contributed to the United States’ dependence on imported oil.
Principles of Sustainable Agriculture
Many farmers have now adopted the principles of sustainable agriculture because they see it as a way to counter the impacts of industrialized farming. But the practice of sustainability is still in its infancy. However, it is a rapidly growing movement, as demonstrated by the fact that, according to Earles, organic products are the fastest growing grocery segment in the U.S.
Yet the concept of sustainable agriculture is not a one-size-fits-all formula. Each farm is different and has its own needs and approaches for achieving sustainability. But Earles believes that there are a number of basic principles that can provide farmers with a good starting point.
For example, farmers trying to achieve sustainability should reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers by increasing nutrient cycling as well as minimizing or eliminating tillage. Soil should be thought of as a living entity, not simply a physical or chemical substrate. Earles stresses the importance of managing the soil organisms to preserve a healthy diversity.
In general, farmers should try to maximize biodiversity and build soil in a way that increases organic matter and reduces water runoff and erosion. And they should use pesticides only as a last resort - after they’ve tried biological and cultural controls.
Of course, these guidelines are not an exhaustive list, nor are they meant to minimize the effort and commitment required to achieve sustainability, but they do demonstrate some of the underlying principles of ecology-based farming. At its core, the sustainable movement is a recognition that in order to address the challenges of the 21st century, people across the globe will need to look to the wisdom of the earth.
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