Sustainable Farming And Practices
The word “sustainable” started in the ecology context when the early environmentalists seek to define alternatives in energy nad human practices. On farming, there was study permanent farming that would not destroy soil, water, or people. There was also concept of regenerative farming on how to help restore lands. Opinions differed greatly during that period about the key elements of “sustainability” in farming.
Concept Of Sustainable Farming
Sustainable farming is now commonly referring to farming that does not erode its own base of soil from chemical pollution or erosion. In addition, sustainable farming is also about farmers, their children and the irrigations. It encompasses bio-diversity in soil, quality of surface water as well as watersheds not contaminated by farm runoff. In some farming community, sustainability is also supported through members promoting freshly raised meats, homemade cheeses, or homegrown eggs.
Sustainable farming strictly follows the principles of returning organic nutrients to the soil through good farming practices, such as the judicious use of chemicals. Sustainable farming also tends to use far fewer energy inputs because it sources everything on-farm if possible. Water use is also reduced as compared with large-scale organic farming because of the small-scale intensiveness that is required.
More Than Adherence To Organic Standard
In farming countries there is now the adoption of National Organic Standard. It is a list of amendments and practices that are considered acceptable organic methods. What it does not take into account is the underlying principle of soil building in organic production or the use of carbon-emitting energy.
For quality food, we continue to need farmers on the land. The percentage of Americans now farming has dropped about as low as it can go. Organic management systems only help cut costs of modern soil inputs. For sustainable farming, we need more land to be returned to soil as nature’s gift and use it to grow our own food supply.
