What are the characteristics of sustainable agriculture?
In sustainable agricultural systems, there is reduced reliance on non-renewable energy sources and a substitution of renewable sources or labor to the extent that is economically feasible. Many agricultural activities affect air quality.
What are the government policies that impede sustainable agriculture?
Existing federal, state and local government policies often impede the goals of sustainable agriculture. New policies are needed to simultaneously promote environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity.
What is sustainability in agroecology?
Inherent in this definition is the idea that sustainability must be extended not only globally, but indefinitely in time, and to all living organisms including humans. recover from the disturbances caused by cultivation and harvest.” ,” Principles of Agroecology and Sustainability (1998).]
Why is sustainable agriculture research and education important?
By helping farmers to adopt practices that reduce chemical use and conserve scarce resources, sustainable agriculture research and education can play a key role in building public support for agricultural land preservation. Educating land use planners and decision-makers about sustainable agriculture is an important priority. Labor
What are the characteristics of sustainable agriculture?
Sustainable agriculture practicesRotating crops and embracing diversity. … Planting cover crops and perennials. … Reducing or eliminating tillage. … Applying integrated pest management (IPM). … Integrating livestock and crops. … Adopting agroforestry practices. … Managing whole systems and landscapes.
Which of the following is not a component of sustainable agriculture?
Which of the following is not the component or goal of sustainable agriculture? Explanation: The sustainable agriculture is moving around three main components or goals—environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equality. Hence, D is the correct option.
What are the 5 main components of sustainable agriculture?
The main components of both sustainable farming and conventional farming are exactly the same: soil management, crop management, water management, disease/pest management and waste management. It’s the methods used that are often radically different.
What are the 3 elements of a sustainable agriculture approach?
In order to be sustainable, three areas must be addressed by our agriculture, food, and natural resource systems. These three areas are economics, environment, and community. A sustainable agriculture must provide a fair and reasonably secure living for farm families.
What is one of the primary goals of sustainable agriculture?
The goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet society’s food and textile needs in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Which of the following statements is true regarding organic farming?
Organic farming used to increase agricultural productivity, and maintain sustainable soil productivity, but not to produce particularly vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals. Thus, the correct answer is option C.
What is used in sustainable agriculture?
In sustainable agriculture, there are options to improve air quality by incorporating crop residue into the soil, using appropriate levels of tillage, and planting windbreaks, cover crops or strips of native perennial grasses to reduce dust.
What is sustainable agriculture quizlet?
sustainable agriculture. Farming methods that preserve long-term productivity of land and minimize pollution, typically by rotating soil- restoring crops with cash crops and reducing in-puts of fertilizer and pesticides.
What do you mean by sustainable agriculture?
A sustainable agriculture approach seeks to utilize natural resources in such a way that they can regenerate their productive capacity, and also minimize harmful impacts on ecosystems beyond a field’s edge.
What are the importance of sustainable agriculture?
In addition to preserving the earth’s natural resources, sustainable agriculture benefits the environment through helping maintain soil quality, reducing erosion, and preserving water.
What is the goal of sustainable agriculture?
The goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet society’s food and textile needs in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Practitioners of sustainable agriculture seek to integrate three main objectives into their work: a healthy environment, economic profitability, and social and economic equity.
Who can play a role in ensuring a sustainable agricultural system?
Every person involved in the food system—growers, food processors, distributors, retailers, consumers, and waste managers —can play a role in ensuring a sustainable agricultural system. There are many practices commonly used by people working in sustainable agriculture and sustainable food systems.
What is a systems approach?
A systems approach gives us the tools to explore the interconnections between farming and other aspects of our environment. Everyone plays a role in creating a sustainable food system. A systems approach also implies interdisciplinary efforts in research and education.
How do consumers contribute to the food system?
Through their purchases, they send strong messages to producers, retailers and others in the system about what they think is important. Food cost and nutritional quality have always influenced consumer choices.
What is the principal resource that has helped agriculture and society to prosper?
Water . Water is the principal resource that has helped agriculture and society to prosper, and it has been a major limiting factor when mismanaged. Water supply and use. In California, an extensive water storage and transfer system has been established which has allowed crop production to expand to very arid regions.
What is the food system?
The “food system” extends far beyond the farm and involves the interaction of individuals and institutions with contrasting and often competing goals including farmers, researchers, input suppliers, farmworkers, unions , farm advisors, processors, retailers, consumers, and policymakers.
Why is sustainability important?
Sustainability rests on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Therefore, stewardship of both natural and human resources is of prime importance. Stewardship of human resources includes consideration of social responsibilities such as working …
Introduction
Since 1994, when the first edition of this Special Reference Brief was compiled, “sustainability” has become a more familiar term.
Sustainable Agriculture: The Basics
Some terms defy definition. “Sustainable agriculture” has become one of them.
Some Background
How have we come to reconsider our food and fiber production in terms of sustainability? What are the ecological, economic, social and philosophical issues that sustainable agriculture addresses?
A Sampling of Perspectives
“It’s easy to understand why key individuals and organizations in agriculture have flocked to this term. After all, who would advocate a ‘non-sustainable agriculture?’” [Charles A. Francis, “Sustainable Agriculture: Myths and Realities,” Journal of Sustainable Agriculture (1990) 1 (1): p.97.
How has organic farming helped the US?
b. it may involve the use of antibiotic and hormones for livestock as long as no chemicals are added to crops. c. the soil is fertilized with commercial inorganic fertilizer, with the use of cover crops every fourth year.
Why is livestock so expensive?
livestock is an expensive source of food because: a. it is particularly rich in protein. b. of the amount of land area needed to house the animals. c. the antibiotics and hormones needed to support high yield are exceedingly expensive.
Is genetically modified food safe?
a. genetically modified crops are just as safe for consumption as organic crops. b. no research is being done to analyze the effects of genetically modified crop seeds spreading uncontrollably. c. genetically modified crops in North America have been already found to have harmful effects on the environment.
Overview
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Characteristics
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Conventional farming systems vary from farm to farm and from country to country. However, they share many characteristics: rapid technological innovation; large capital investments in order to apply production and management technology; large-scale farms; single crops/row crops grown continuously over many seasons; uniform high-yield hybrid crops; extensive use of pesticides, fe…
Methods
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Other practices includes growing a diverse number of perennial crops in a single field, each of which would grow in separate season so as not to compete with each other for natural resources. This system would result in increased resistance to diseases and decreased effects of erosion and loss of nutrients in soil. Nitrogen fixation from legumes, for example, used in conjunction wi…
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What grows where and how it is grown are a matter of choice. Two of the many possible practices of sustainable agriculture are crop rotation and soil amendment, both designed to ensure that crops being cultivated can obtain the necessary nutrients for healthy growth. Soil amendments would include using locally available compost from community recycling centers. These commu…
Definition
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In the US National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, the term “sustainable agriculture” is defined as an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term: 1. satisfy human food and fiber needs 2. enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agri…
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Some terms defy definition. \”Sustainable agriculture\” has become one of them. In such a quickly changing world, can anything be sustainable? What do we want to sustain? How can we implement such a nebulous goal? Is it too late? With the contradictions and questions have come a hard look at our present food production system and thoughtful evaluations of its future. If not…
Economics
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Costs, such as environmental problems, not covered in traditional accounting systems are known as externalities. Netting studied sustainability and intensive agriculture in smallholder systems through history. There are several studies incorporating externalities such as ecosystem services, biodiversity, land degradation and sustainable land management in economic analysis. These in…
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Socioeconomic aspects of sustainability are also partly understood. Regarding less concentrated farming, the best known analysis is Netting’s study on smallholder systems through history. The Oxford Sustainable Group defines sustainability in this context in a much broader form, considering effect on all stakeholders in a 360 degree approachGiven the finite supply of natura…
Quotes
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Historically, farming played an important role in our development and identity as a nation. From strongly agrarian roots, we have evolved into a culture with few farmers. Less than two percent of Americans now produce food for all U.S. citizens. Can sustainable and equitable food production be established when most consumers have so little connection to the natural processes that pro…
Effects
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Agriculture profoundly affects many ecological systems. Negative effects of current practices include the following:
Culture
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The term ”sustainable agriculture” (U.S. Code Title 7, Section 3103 (link is external)) means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will over the long-term: 1. Satisfy human food and fiber needs. 2. Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agriculture economy depends. 3. Make the most e…
Criticism
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Among 63 farmers interviewed in Tasmania most accepted the notion climate change was happening, but just a small segment believed that it was human related. Few farmers thought that the issue of climate change was significant enough to diminish what was causing it. Some of the farmers were worried about how a suggested carbon dioxide reduction plan would affect the agr…
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The long-term viability of our current food production system is being questioned for many reasons. The news media regularly present us with the paradox of starvation amidst plentyincluding pictures of hungry children juxtaposed with supermarket ads. Possible adverse environmental impacts of agriculture and increased incidence of foodborne illness also deman…
Policy
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Sustainable agriculture is a topic in international policy concerning its potential to reduce environmental risks. In 2011, the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, as part of its recommendations for policy makers on achieving food security in the face of climate change, urged that sustainable agriculture must be integrated into national and international poli…
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Sustainable agriculture has become a topic of interest in the international policy arena, especially with regards to its potential to reduce the risks associated with a changing climate and growing human population.The Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, as part of its recommendations for policy makers on achieving food security in the face of climate change, ur…