Dig Into Agriculture: Answering Common Questions About Sustainable Farming

What is sustainable farming?

Sustainable farming is the practice of incorporating initiatives into farming and agricultural work that allow farms to maintain their productivity and usefulness to society indefinitely. Throughout the process of sustainable farming, it is important not to compromise production output. It is also important to not compromise the ability of future generations to get what they need out of sustainable farming. 

What are some goals of sustainable farming?

• Water Conservation and Management of Water Usage

• Reducing Carbon Footprint 

• Maintaining Healthy Soil 

• Reduce Nutrient Depletion by Rotating Crops

• Economic Profitability

• Social and Economic Equity

What is Water Conservation and How Do Sustainable Farms Conserve Water?

Water conservation is the action of using policies and strategies to manage our world’s fresh water supply in order for it to be used by future generations. In farming, there are several techniques that can be employed to reduce the amount of wastewater produced in the industry. Some of these strategies include more efficient irrigation techniques, which get the right amount of water to the crops without as much waste. Also, planting more drought tolerant crops can help conserve water as the water requirements are lower for these crops in general. To save water, many sustainable farms use:

• Drip Irrigation

• Capture and Storage Ponds (Runoff, Rainwater)

• Irrigation Scheduling based on weather forecast and time of day

• Planting Native Crops or Drought-Tolerant Crops

What is Healthy Soil?

According to the Natural Resource Conservation Service, healthy soil is measured by “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans”. This means that healthy soil is something that doesn’t only benefit humans and our agricultural needs, but also takes into account the needs of the plants and animals living within our ecosystem.

Untouched soil tends to have concentrations of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. However, this is different from the needs of monoculture crops. Many agricultural crops require high amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus, with more nitrogen needed overall. If one is starting to get into farming outside of container gardens, then it’s important to know how to best grow your crops while making sure that you are not filling the area around you with high concentrations of unneeded nutrients. We call the occurrence of these high concentrations “eutrophication” and it can cause algae blooms, something the state of Florida knows all too well. To keep soil healthy, here are some things to consider:

Natural Pesticides: Eco Friendly Tools and Natural Predators

• Natural Pesticides are forms of pesticides which do not contain chemicals harmful to native plants, animals, waters, and soils. These come in the forms of biocontrol and natural predators. 

• There are several sprays containing items such as oils, soaps, and peppers which deter pests or kill them before they are able to harm a crop. Some great examples you can make at home cant be found here: https://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/8-natural-homemade-insecticides-save-your-garden-without-killing-earth.html

• Natural Predators are animals that eat or kill the pests that agriculturists battle on their farms. For example, if a farmer is struggling with caterpillars eating the leaves of their crop and harming the production rate of the crop, then they can employ wasps in their field. Wasps are a natural enemy of caterpillars and will control the population in a way which does not introduce chemicals or human-made items into the local environment. 

Organic vs. Inorganic Fertilizer:

• Composition: 

  • Organic Fertilizer: made up of plant/animal based materials that are a byproduct of naturally occurring events. 

  • Inorganic Fertilizer: made up of synthetic chemicals that are artificially produced.

• Effect on Environment:

  • Organic Fertilizer: Overall, these yield a positive effect on the environment when used correctly. If used excessively, however, this can cause issues such as algae blooms and the appearance of pathogens in drinking water.

  • Inorganic Fertilizer: These fertilizers often contain methane and carbon dioxide, which add to the amount of greenhouse gases that are already in the atmosphere. Increased greenhouse gases leads to global warming, which causes other severe weather and environmental issues to erupt. Along with this, inorganic fertilizers also wind up in bodies of water through runoff, and can cause organisms to die off due to algae blooms caused by the fertilizer. 

How does Agriculture Impact the Environment, Society, and Economy?

With all environmental issues, it is important to keep these three characteristics in mind: Environment, Society, and Economy. All three of these characteristics are intertwined, and each one helps with the function of the others. One of the main goals of sustainable farming is to bring in a steady income for farmers, and this goal can become a longterm reality with the incorporation of environmentally friendly farming practices. Sustainable farming actually helps with maintaining soil fertility, and this may help farmers stay in one location for a longer period of time, as well as reduces the amount of fertilizers and other products they would need to buy to replenish the nutrient depleted soil. 

Political/Social/Economic Implications of Sustainable Farming:

• Political: Issues such as deforestation, water exploitation, and overfishing are common issues and hot topics in today’s political arena. Sustainable farming practices work to reduce the effects of these issues. It is important to elect politicians who care about these issues, and who will advocate for increasing the amount of sustainable farming practices around the country. 

• Social: Practicing sustainable farming can work to educate the public further on environmental issues, and may even encourage people to adopt their own sustainable habits. It is important to remain environmentally conscious, and sustainable farming is a great way to do that!

• Economic: There is evidence that suggests that there are many benefits to adopting sustainable farming practices. Along with spending less on fuel and minimizing waste output, there is a consumer demand to purchase products that are produced through sustainable methods. 

How Can I Get Involved?

Create your own sustainable garden! Here are some helpful tips on how to make your garden more environmentally friendly:

• Grow Your Own Organic Food: growing your own food is a very proactive way to be environmentally conscious, allowing you to reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the distance it takes for the food to travel from farm to plate.

•  Reduce Your Use of Gasoline-Powered Tools: while gas powered tools may be very time efficient, they are harmful to the environment. Using energy efficient gardening tools can help make your garden more sustainable.

• Use Organic Fertilizer as Opposed to Inorganic Fertilizer: as previously discussed, organic fertilizer has a much better impact on the environment than inorganic fertilizer. 

Another way to get involved with sustainable farming is to actively vote for politicians who prioritize sustainable initiatives. It is important to be conscious of environmental issues and how they relate to politics at the local, state, and federal levels of government.

With sustainability, every little bit counts. Implementing every sustainable habit you hear about can be overwhelming. It is important to remember that change is a process, and it doesn’t happen overnight! Incorporate these sustainable habits into your life at your own pace. Over time, true change will come!