Julia Correa

Farmers are urged to produce great quantities of food as cheap as possible. Farmers have turned to unsustainable methods of farming that disrupt the environment. Example: 1. Keeping fields bare and unplanted after harvesting leads to the erosion of rich soil. 2. Insecticides kill pests and their natural predators as well as pollute the environment. 3. Irrigation methods have depleted the underground water so fast that it cannot be replaced.

Farmers have started to realize that sustainable agricultural techniques save money and preserve their land. Example: No-till is a technique that leaves in the fields, the remains of harvested crops to create mulch usable for the next year. The United States saves about 300 million gallons of fuel per year as well as reduces soil erosion because of this practice. Varied crops lessen the amount of outbreaks of diseases and pests that attack specific types of plants.

Organic farmers use no-till techniques and rely on natural predators to manage pests. They steer clear from artificial herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers. Organic foods are more expensive because in “factory farms”, the impact on the ecosystems are not considered.