What Good Is Organic Farming?
Organic farming is a type of sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture is an agricultural practice that preserves and enhances environmental quality. This is beneficial because it keeps the land healthier for much longer periods and does not lead to desertification as much as other practices. Organic farming is a more popular form of sustainable agriculture. It is different from conventional farming in that it uses sensitive land management, a limited amount of chemicals, and it integrates crops and livestock better. Biological methods and management, such a diversified crop rotations, lead to improvised soil quality. These practices can also allow for greater resilience when fields
are under the stress of droughts and floods.
are under the stress of droughts and floods.
Why Don't All Farmers Practice Farming this Way?
The map above shows the number of certified organic farms in each state in 2015. Only two states surpassed 1,000 farms. To put the lack of organic farms in perspective we can look at Texas. Texas has the highest amount of farms in the United States at 245,500. Just two years ago they had somewhere between 100-499 organic farms. If Texas had 500 organic farms, they would only be .2% organic farms. Even with California at approximately 3.6% organic farms, there is far less organic farming than there could be. The future certainly has some population to food supply issues.
How much modification can our bodies handle before we go off the deep end like Malthus once thought we would?
How much modification can our bodies handle before we go off the deep end like Malthus once thought we would?