Sustainable Agricultural

Sustainability is both a belief and physical system of farming that cares and preserves the environment in many different ways. It is a far-sighted approach to farming and ranching that takes the viability of long-term methods into consideration. Nature provides the perfect example of this type of agriculture in the prairie. The extremely fertile prairie soil was a result of natural soil building processes at work. In addition, farmers and ranchers who incorporate sustainable practices are concerned about more than short-term profit, but are also realizing the monetary benefits of organic produce and meat. For example, Carmen Fernholz of Madison, Minnesota is selling his organic “flax for human consumption at $1 a poing, which translates into about $50 to $60 dollars a bushel – compared to $5 to $8 a bushel for conventionally grown flax” (John Ikerd). It can be a win-win situation for both producer and the environment. Agriculture methods that incorporate monoculture, nitrogen-based fertilization, and irrigation are too damaging to the environment and too susceptible to pest devastation to be utilized indefinitely. Sustainable agriculture is a productive answer to these problems.

Sustainable agriculture defies a simple definition. There are as many different methods of sustainable practices as there are farms and ranches. Each producer faces unique challenges to be met based on what they are producing and what type of soil they are producing on. Some things sustainable producers have in common are crop rotation, integrated insect pest management, organic matter management, recycling farm wastes, and natural resource conservation.

Consumers can contribute to sustainable agriculture very simple by supporting it financially. Visits to farmers’ markets and buying organic produce and meats are a very good start. At home, gardens incorporating organic compost and natural pest control will yield fruits and vegetables that will have more flavor than anything you can buy that has been grown conventionally, and will also have a higher yield of vitamins and minerals. Also, mulching flower beds and landscaped areas will reduce water consumption, helping in a small way the very serious problem of declining water storage in underground aquifers.

Works Cited

Ikerd, John. “Exploring Sustainability in Agriculture”, (pg 3), Agricultural Economist Emeritus, University of Missouri, no date given