Organic vs conventional agriculture

Topics Review of basic elements of traditional (and thus organic) vs Green Revolution agriculture What plants need and where it comes from in the two approaches Soil nutrition Weed control, pest control Organic certification Small scale vs large scale Biodynamic agriculture Relative yields Organic dairy

A definition Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm. Organic farming excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured fertilizers, pesticides (which include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides), plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, and genetically modified organisms Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission What is organic farming

History of organic farming Prior to 20 th century almost all farming was organic – Synthetic pesticides and fertilizer were the new “non organic” elements The term “organic farming” coined by Lord Northbourne in his book “Look to the Land” published in 1940 Key US events – 1950s JI Rodale – “organic growing” – “Silent Spring” 1962 – California Certified Organic Farmers 1973 – USDA National Organic Program 2002

American pioneers the Rodale’s

What plants need Seeds Light Air Heat Water Soil Nutrients Pest Control

Nutrients and soil fertility Organic Crop rotation Green Manure, cover crops plowed under Compost, animal and vegetable Also commonly allowed are rock phosphate, greensand, sulfur, lime and some other natural compounds Conventional Artificial fertilizers primarily produced from ammonia via natural gas All methods of organic farming are practiced to some extent in conventional farms

Weed control Organic Crop rotation Tillage and cultivation including hand weeding Mowing Row covers Flame and thermal weeding Mulching Conventional Tillage and cultivation Synthetic herbicides

Pest control Organic Integrated Pest Management Crop rotation Tillage and cultivation Interplanting Row covers Naturally occurring pesticides, bacillus thuringiensis, rotenone, pyrethrum Conventional Synthetic pesticides GM crops All methods used in organic farming

Row Covers

More than a technical approach Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved. International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements

Three mixed elements in the “organic” movement The technical – how you grow the food Eat Local – buy food from someone you know A philosophy: natural, anti-industrial and small scale

Rudolph Steiner Regarded by some as the first modern ecological farming system and one of the most sustainable, biodynamic farming has much in common with other organic approaches, such as emphasizing the use of manures and composts and excluding of the use of artificial chemicals on soil and plants. Methods unique to the biodynamic approach include the use of fermented herbal and mineral preparations as compost additives and field sprays and the use of an astronomical sowing and planting calendar. Biodynamics originated out of the work of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. sustainablemanures compostsastronomicalRudolf Steiner anthroposophy From Wikipedia

Biodynamics

Organic vegetable field

Plastic mulch used as a major element in weed control – is it better than sprays?

University District Farmers Market

Organic animal production Organic feeds – Either grass-fed or organic hay and grains No antibiotics No growth hormones

Organic dairy farming Use organic feed No antibiotics No BST Cows that develop mastitis must be sold to a non-organic farm Through selective breeding organic farms generally have lower incidence of mastitis

Organic chicken farm Industrialized agriculture is no stranger to organic food. Sadly, organic standards in egg production do little to produce a nutrient-dense egg from an authentically happy hen. Industrial organic egg producers take advantage of the letter of the law to violate its spirit.

Growth of organic products

Poll and discussion Is organic farming better for the environment?

The debates regarding organic farming Organic farming is sustainable – Need far fewer outside inputs – Soil fertility is maintained It is healthier – Lack of pesticides and chemicals – Higher nutritional value It is better for the environment It is local World population demand cannot be met without external fertilizer Health risks have been exaggerated – Many more people die from poor nutrition than from chemicals It is worse – lower yields mean more land is needed It isn’t local at all, organic food comes from all over

Save the rainforest: boycott organic? Perhaps the most eminent critic of organic farming is Norman Borlaug, the father of the "green revolution," winner of the Nobel peace prize and an outspoken advocate of the use of synthetic fertilizers to increase crop yields. He claims the idea that organic farming is better for the environment is "ridiculous" because organic farming produces lower yields and therefore requires more land under cultivation to produce the same amount of food. Thanks to synthetic fertilizers, Mr. Borlaug points out, global cereal production tripled between 1950 and 2000, but the amount of land used increased by only 10 percent. Using traditional techniques such as crop rotation, compost and manure to supply the soil with nitrogen and other minerals would have required a tripling of the area under cultivation. The more intensively you farm, Mr. Borlaug contends, the more room you have left for rainforest.

Science Magazine 2002

a wide range of taxa, including birds and mammals, invertebrates and arable flora, that benefit from organic management through increases in abundance and/or species richness It remains unclear whether a holistic whole- farm approach (i.e. organic) provides greater benefits to biodiversity than carefully targeted prescriptions applied to relatively small areas of cropped and/or non-cropped habitats within conventional agriculture

US Department of Agriculture rules What is organic? Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

USDA National Organic Rule and Industrial Organic Fears that NOR will bring us closer to a future in which neon-orange snack foods become the new face of organic appear to be justified. The government's official organic label will now be affixed to a large and growing list of processed foods -- everything from H.J. Heinz Company's organic ketchup to organic Cheetos, Tostitos, and Sun Chips, produced by PepsiCo's Frito-Lay unit.

“must develop an organic production or handling system plan that is agreed to by the producer or handler and an accredited certifying agent” A description of practices and procedures to be performed and maintained, including the frequency with which they will be performed A list of each substance to be used as a production or handling input, indicating its composition, source, location(s) where it will be used, and documentation of commercial availability, as applicable A description of the monitoring practices and procedures to be performed and maintained, including the frequency with which they will be performed, to verify that the plan is effectively implemented;

This is hard when each row is a different crop with its own “management plan” Easier for a large “industrial organic farm” with 20 acres of the same crop

Biointensive agriculture

Summary In its technical definitions organic farming simply prohibit the use of a range of technologies, primarily synthetic pesticides and herbicides. But the distinction is muddied because of the recent “industrialization” of organic food production. There are major trade-offs and uncertainties in the human health and environmental consequences of organic vs conventional agriculture

Study guide What are the differences between traditional farming (pre 20 th century) and organic farming. No major differences, traditional farming meets all the modern definitions of organic farming. What was the relationship between the Rodale’s and the US organic movement. Their magazine “organic growing” and associated books have been the major source of shared information in the US organic movement. Is there a national government role in the organic farming business. Yes, there is official certification of “organic farms” by the US Department of Agriculture. What methods are used in conventional farming for maintaining soil nutrition can also be used in organic farming? All methods of soil nutrition in organic farming are used to some extent in conventional farming List 4 methods used for organic pest control Integrated Pest Management Crop rotation Tillage and cultivation Interplanting Row covers Naturally occurring pesticides, bacillus thuringiensis, rotenone, pyrethrum List 4 methods used for maintaining soil nutrition in organic farming Crop rotation Green Manure, cover crops plowed under Compost, animal and vegetable Also commonly allowed are rock phosphate, greensand, sulfur, lime and some other natural compounds What are the benefits of row covers? They trap heat and make the soil warmer, especially in winter and spring to allow earlier germination and plant growth. They also keep airborne seeds out of the rows, and exclude many insects and birds. What are the elements of the organic food movement that are not directly related to the methods the crops are grown? Much of the organic food movement is also concerned with local production of food, small scale farming, and maintenance of local communities. What is the name of the largest retailer of organic foods in the world? Whole Foods Who founded the biodynamic agriculture movement? Rudolph Steiner. How does biodynamic growing differ from organic farming? Biodynamic farming includes philosophical elements associated with the time of planting based on the alignment of the planets, moon and stars, and the use of herbal and mineral sprays. What are the legal elements of organic animal production in the USDA regulations? Feed must be organic and no antibiotics can be used. What are the arguments for and against the argument that organic food is healthier? Pro: organic food has fewer artificial chemicals. Con: the lower yields in organic farming mean that there is less food in the world and more people go hungry and suffer poor health or death. Are crop yields per hectare higher or lower in organic agriculture? Generally lower. Why are crop yields lower? Because many of the methods used to in organic agriculture rely on green manure, crop rotation and letting land lie unused. Also pest control may be less effective in organic agriculture thus lowering yields. What is the major point of contention as to whether organic farming is better for biodiversity? The key question is whether the increased land needed to produce the same amount of food in organic farming is balanced by higher biodiversity in organic farms. What are the major objections to the USDA organic certification requirements by the traditional “organic food movement?” They believe the USDA rules were written by lobbyists for large agricultural firms and make it difficult for traditional small scale farmers to comply with the regulations.