What is sustainable agriculture?

October 9, 10:42 AMSt. Louis Sustainable Agriculture ExaminerDonna Brown

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If you’ve spent any time talking to the vendors at the local farmer’s market lately you’re likely to hear the terms ‘CSAs’ and ‘sustainable agriculture’ thrown around like a Frisbee.  If you’re the average Joe, you have no idea what they are talking about. You’re probably wondering “What is Sustainable Agriculture? Isn’t all agriculture sustainable?”

In 1990 the United States government defined sustainable agriculture in Public Law 101-624, Title XVI, subtitle A Section 1683 as “An integrated system of plants and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term satisfy human and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality and natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends, make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources, and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.”

(You can tell that was written by a bunch of lawyers.) To put all that into plain English, sustainable farming integrates 3 main goals.

  1. To take proper care of the soil, plants, animals, humans and other resources.

  2. To make the farm money.

  3. To promote prosperous farming communities.

To properly care for the soil, plants, animals, human and other resources, a sustainable farm must first consider conservation and preservation. The farmer removes what he must to support his family but does so in a way that the environment remains undamaged from his harvest. The soil, air and water are replenished. Transportation and fossil fuel costs are minimized as much as possible. The produce of his labor are sold as locally as possible. Wastes are often recycled on the spot minimizing water and air pollution. Animal and plant species are also preserved. Animals that were breed for taste and sustainability rather than how quickly they can put on the pounds are being reintroduced into the marketplace. Vegetables and fruits grown locally from heirloom seed are sold having a better taste than the plant varieties developed for undamaged transport across the country. 

These farms are being developed with biodiversity in mind. A farmer who uses sustainable agriculture is no longer at the mercy of a single crop or animal nor is the soil. Farms that raise different types of plants and animals in rotation are less dependent on chemical pesticides.  One example of this is the use of rotational grazing. First a farmer may put goats into a brushy field. The goats will eat the brush but not much of the hay. After that, cows will be put into the same field. The cows will eat the tall grass. Next in the field are the sheep. The sheep will eat the short grass. If the farmer decides that he plans to replant this field into better quality hay, he might then do a rotation of pigs that will root out perennial weeds from the field.  After the pigs, he might run a flock of chickens through. The chickens will eat any spilled grain that the other animals left and will also rid the soil of unwanted insects and parasites.  The farmer would then simply just have to disk the soil and perhaps add some calcium to the soil before replanting the soil with a more desirable hay crop. With each subsequent rotation, the hay crop will continue to improve while at the same time being quality pasture for more and more animals.

Animals on sustainable farms are treated humanely and with respect to their species.  They are permitted to carry out their natural instincts. A pig can be a pig and root in the soil to the benefit of the soil and to the pig. A chicken can search a pasture for grasshoppers and other bugs allowing the chicken a healthy protein ration as well as controlling the insect population.

Sustainable Agriculture is a system of farming that should be promoted because it will give not only future generations of farm families as good or better a lifestyle as those of their parents and grandparents, it will promote better rural communities throughout our region.

Because a farmer who practices sustainable agriculture produces a higher quality product at a lower input cost he is able to receive a living wage for his product.  Because he makes a fair wage, he can in turn pay his employees an equally fair wage. His employees can then buy in the local economy and the local community benefits.