Organic Farming
Mary Sears Taylor
ENG 1120
Blair
Date
Sustainable Agriculture: The Switch from Industrial to Organic
P1:
Agriculture is the most important user of environmental resources and plays a crucial role in the economy, human health, and production of food and fiber. Currently the debate over agriculture is how to feed the world’s growing population, but in a non-damaging process. Agriculture needs a change resulting in sustainability, but the debate begins with how to achieve sustainability in agriculture. One side insists on expanding the current system of industrial agriculture, which depends on monoculture and mechanization. This modern approach to agriculture, which developed during the 20th century, has successfully fed the growing population, but has resulted in devastating effects on the environment and human health. Organic farming techniques, on the other hand, have recently been introduced as another possible solution to sustainable agriculture. Organic methods, including of crop rotation, pest management, and cover crops, have proven to be less damaging to the environment. Despite the proven benefits, some believe that organic farming methods will not produce enough food to feed the world’s growing population. Therefore, this side of the agricultural debate insists on merging organic farming and industrial agriculture together. Even though feeding the world’s growing population is essential, human health should never be at cost. Organic farming needs to completely replace industrial agriculture. According to Gracelinks.org, “Sustainable agriculture is the production of food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.” This definition proves that industrial agriculture does not meet the requirements of sustainability due to its cause of land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and pollution. Industrial agriculture has successfully produced an
ENG 1120
Blair
Date
Sustainable Agriculture: The Switch from Industrial to Organic
P1:
Agriculture is the most important user of environmental resources and plays a crucial role in the economy, human health, and production of food and fiber. Currently the debate over agriculture is how to feed the world’s growing population, but in a non-damaging process. Agriculture needs a change resulting in sustainability, but the debate begins with how to achieve sustainability in agriculture. One side insists on expanding the current system of industrial agriculture, which depends on monoculture and mechanization. This modern approach to agriculture, which developed during the 20th century, has successfully fed the growing population, but has resulted in devastating effects on the environment and human health. Organic farming techniques, on the other hand, have recently been introduced as another possible solution to sustainable agriculture. Organic methods, including of crop rotation, pest management, and cover crops, have proven to be less damaging to the environment. Despite the proven benefits, some believe that organic farming methods will not produce enough food to feed the world’s growing population. Therefore, this side of the agricultural debate insists on merging organic farming and industrial agriculture together. Even though feeding the world’s growing population is essential, human health should never be at cost. Organic farming needs to completely replace industrial agriculture. According to Gracelinks.org, “Sustainable agriculture is the production of food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.” This definition proves that industrial agriculture does not meet the requirements of sustainability due to its cause of land degradation, loss of biodiversity, and pollution. Industrial agriculture has successfully produced an