Sustainable Agriculture Organic Agriculture is Farming with Principles. To interact "in a life-enhancing way" with plants, animals, soils, and water supplies; to eliminate polluting outputs; and to conserve and recycle natural resources. Organic agriculture works in a closed system, building organic materials and nutrients, making use of livestock fertilizers. And the obvious outcome that most people recognize- to produce food of high nutritional quality.
The word Organic has a confusing set of definitions. When we think of organic, we think of the lack of petrochemicals, yet the study of "organic chemistry" which is simply the study of "carbon compounds" can include the study of petrochemicals. When we use the word organic in reference to sustainable agriculture, we are referring to foodstuff grown or raised without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides or hormones. History of Organic Agriculture The guiding principles for organic agriculture were defined by the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), a worldwide organization. See: Organic Agriculture- Principles Organic Agriculture- Basic Standards Organic itself has been federally defined in the United States. "Organic is a labeling term that denotes products produced under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act."
	The earliest advocate of Sustainable Agriculture was possibly the man who preserved it back in 1924, Rudolph Steiner. Responding to the first use of petrochemicals, he defined the "Biodynamic Method". "The forming of living interactions... cannot be defined in the way the production methods for an inanimate article can be."
Current Threats to Sustainable Agriculture The depletion of soil fertility through the use of synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers in "industrial" agriculture as well as the loss of genetic biodiversity through the mass production of limited varieties are serious threats to the ever increasing demand for sustainable food supply. Small local farms and local distribution of organic produce are the roots of a healthy sustainable economy.
Soil…. When we begin to learn about organics, we might be surprised that it isn't just chemical elements in the right proportion that are so essential to healthy crops, it's the entire soil ecosystem that is interdependent. For instance, there are tiny microorganisms that digest composting materials and convert them into nutrients that plant roots can intake. When we apply synthetic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers to a field, all in one year, we are killing billions of helpful organisms in the soil. Some that we have not yet even identified.
	Biodiversity The loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) is one of our most pressing environmental concerns. "Monoculture", the practice of planting single species over large areas has turned a blind eye to our ancient farming traditions and respect for natural law. A few more species of potatoes would have saved a few thousand Irish from starvation back in the 1840's. Mother Nature has her motives. Monoculture reduces ecosystem diversity, and creates a monoculture of pests, and soil depletion. In order to promote biodiversity, plant and cultivate heirloom and native varieties. Read definitions of biodiversity at Wikipedia.
Polyculture The good news is that many organic farmers and gardeners have been collecting and preserving seeds, and growing heirloom varieties for decades. This preservation of diversity is the key to polyculture. Diversity provides pest management, nutrient cycling, a greater variety of resource use, yield increases, production of diverse foods, and a decrease in the risk of loss due to diseases. And yes, it does require more human hands, eyes, and brains, stimulating local economies (and local cultures).
Smart Breeding Understanding the genome of any particular plant is like knowing its periodic table. For thousands of years man has altered the traits of plants by breeding varieties together to make new varieties with varying traits. Genetic Engineering of plant varieties involves the analysis of the plant genomes, and the insertion of genes from other plant species, (or even animals) to dramatically change a characteristic of the new plant material. It is an invasive and radical process. It took the beginnings of a good idea on a bad path. The anecdote to GMOs is "smart breeding". By understanding the genomes of plants, we can use a "smart breeding" strategy to facilitate the exploration and utilization of natural genetic variation. Using a marker-assisted approach provides a noninvasive road map to efficiently breed in useful traits. "Markers" indicate exactly where a specific genetic trait resides within the DNA. Smart breeders' efforts will secure access to nature's reserves of genetic diversity.
What We Should Do Asilomar Declaration of Sustainable Agriculture proposed seven challenges for us today: 1. Promote and sustain healthy rural communities. 2. Expand opportunities for new and existing farmers to prosper using sustainable systems. 3. Inspire the public to value safe and healthful food. 4. Foster an ethic of land stewardship and humaneness in the treatment of farm animals. 5. Expand knowledge and access to information about sustainable agriculture. 6. Reform the relationship among government, industry, and agriculture. 7. Redefine the role of U.S. agriculture in the global community