The
need for a change is now, the place is here. As a population we have managed to
destroy much of our soil, water, and air quality. The over use of synthetic
chemicals, such as pesticides and high nitrogen fertilizers; have contributed largely
to this pollution problem. The mismanagement of land and the practice of monoculture
crop plantings are draining our soils of their nutrients. Do we want to have a
lush and fertile land that is healthy and clean, to pass on to future
generations? I think the answer is yes, it’s a basic need for life to be sustained.
The only way we can ensure this future is through the use of a sustainable practice,
one that can be used for years to come. One way we can help ensure this is with
the incorporation of an all organic agricultural system in this country. The
organic production system is nothing new; in fact it’s the only natural way to
raise crops. If there is one thing that plants, animals, and people want its
natural. So what is organic crop production, and why is it so good?
Organic
food is simply “Food which has not been subjected to chemical pesticides or artificial
fertilizers and which has been grown in soil whose humus content has been
increased by the addition of organic matter”. It is the way nature intended for
produce to be grown, untainted and pure. Organic production is all about the
soil, air, water, and living beings around it. It is all about making the
smallest pollution footprint that one can make. It takes into account that the
soil is a living, breathing, and growing being that must be natured and loved.
We must do all that we can protect our water ways, because without clean, fresh
water we all would surely parish. The air that we all depend on for life must
be protected, without the air there would be no “us”. All of the living beings
that are in and around the soil are all in a symbiotic association with one
another. If you take away one, the other will suffer, every life form has its
place in the soil eco-system. In contrast conventional production cares little
about the environment or the people consuming their product. The one thing on
the mind of big agriculture today is money, and how to make more. They put
little thought into what their actions are doing to the land, and how it will
affect future generations. The soil pays the price of the bad practices of big
agriculture first.
In
organic production the soil is of key concern, without healthy, you cannot have
healthy plants or consumers. Every time that you take something out of the
soil, such as harvesting of a crop, you are taking valuable nutrients out of
the soil. You must replenish these nutrients or they will deplete over time.
The nutrients are what grow a strong, healthy plant, which in turn makes us
healthy. One way to organically replenish these lost nutrients is through the incorporation
of humus. Humus is the fully decayed remains of organic matter from formerly
living plants and animals. It is often referred to as compost, and the words
are interchangeable. Humus serves a number of vital roles in the soil, and is referred
to as “black gold”. It holds nutrients needed by the plant, helps regulate soil
pH, holds water, helps with drainage, improves soil tilth(makes the soil easier
to cultivate); helps regulate soil temperatures, and help regulate soil fungi.
Soil fungi produce natural antibiotics which control pathogenic fungi, the bad
fungi. The incorporation of animal manure into the soil is a simple way to improve
soil health that is used in organic production. The manure will break down and
release nutrients into the soil over time, but it will take at least one year
to take effect. One more way to easily improve soil health with organic
production is with the use of cover crops, also called green manure. These
crops are fast growing plants that are planted when the soil would otherwise be
bare, and exposed to the elements. The cover crops are then cultivated into the
soil where they will break down and release their nutrients. Conventional
production puts little thought into restoring the soil nutrients that are lost,
but instead rely on synthetic fertilizers to unnaturally feed the plant. The disrespect
they do the soil will surely deplete it of all nutrients, and unusable for
future generations. One of the main reasons soil health is so important is
because the soil is literally “crawling” with life.
“Healthy
soil may be defined as soil that allows plants to grow to their maximum
productivity without disease, fertility or pest problems limiting production,
and without a need for unusual supplements or support”. The soil is full of
life that comes in all forms, from big to microscopic, and they all play their
part. The bacteria, fungi, and other organisms in the soil break down the
organic matter to humus and other metabolic products influencing plants.
Microbes in the soil transfer nutrients to the plant roots and transform unavailable
nutrients to a usable form. The use of synthetic herbicides and pesticides is
killing the delicate balance that is naturally in place. The pesticides are non-selective, and will
kill any insects or organisms that it comes in contact with. In the natural
order of things there are predatory insects that will kill other problem insects,
and these good guys are destroyed with the use of synthetic pesticides. An
organic method of pest control is through the attraction of these beneficial
predatory insects. One more method of organic pest control is the use of row
covers, which are plastic sheets that cover the crop row and protect with from
insects. A very simple organic method of pest control is the use of crop
rotation, which is simply moving where you plant something to an area where
there are no pests. There are some organic “pesticides” on the market that are
made of plant derived materials. Natural soap also can be used as an organic “pesticide”
in a spray bottle. The modern take on pest and weed problems is just to use
more and stronger chemicals. No thought is given to the fact that these chemicals
can end up in our drinking water, in the ground water, on our children, or
pets, and our food. The production of these chemicals is major contributors to
waterway eutrophication and greenhouse gas emissions. The use of synthetic
chemicals contributes 400% more greenhouse gas per pound of crop compared to
organic production. The run off from synthetic chemicals can end up in
waterways and feed algae which multiply rapidly, which deplete the oxygen in
the water. This will kill all the other life forms in the water, and make the
recreational value go down. The over use of these chemicals may directly affect
humans, as research shows that they build up in our body fat. These chemicals
are not highly regulated, which they should be. There are 17,000 pesticide
products on the market, and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has only
tested 1%. So why would anyone want to use these chemicals if they are so bad? It
takes a lot less man power to use these chemicals, and all of these chemicals
are subsidized by the government to be cheap. There have been some arguments as
to whether you can produce a larger yield with the use of synthetic chemicals,
but the research shows organic production can produce the same yields as
conventional. Some argue that organic production will end up costing the grower
more money that is false.
You
have to be able to make money doing something, or what is the point of doing
it? The research shows that there is more money to be made, with less land in
organic production. The market has grown rapidly over the last 3 decades, and
is still growing every day. Organic food and beverage sales have grown from 1
billion in 1990 to 26.7 billion in 2010. Fruit and vegetable sales in 2010 increased
11.8% over 2009 despite the slow economy. The long term economic viability of
the organic system is vastly superior to the conventional system, which is very
unsustainable. More jobs are created with the organic production because of the
more labor intensive work that is involved. The operating profit for organic is
$45,697, compared to $25,448 for conventional. You will also save money on
energy cost and use, as organic production uses on average 45% less energy
compared to conventional. One major reason that organic production is better
than conventional is because of the finished product, the produce.
The
produce that organic crops yield not only tastes better, but has a higher
nutrient count. The plants are grown in lush, fertile soil, so in turn the
produce is loaded with nutrients. On top of the other entire bad things synthetic
chemicals do, they also leave residues of the plant that may affect the flavor.
The antioxidants and vitamins have been shown to be in higher concentration in organically
produced crops. Many blind taste tests have shown that the average consumer
prefers the taste of organic produce over conventional. This is really just a
small part of why organic production is better than conventional.
