Organic-Based Agriculture
A Philosophical Consideration for Agriculture
Historically, farming played an important role in our development and identity as a nation. From strongly agrarian roots, we have evolved into a culture with few farmers. Less than two percent of Americans now produce food for all U.S. citizens. Can sustainable and equitable food production be established when most consumers have so little connection to the natural processes that produce their food? What intrinsically American values have changed and will change with the decline of rural life and farmland ownership?
World population continues to grow. According to recent United Nations population projections, the world population will grow from 5.7 billion in 1995 to 9.4 billion in 2050, 10.4 billion in 2100, and 10.8 billion by 2150, and will stabilize at slightly under 11 billion around 2200. The rate of population increase is especially high in many developing countries. In these countries, the population factors, combined with rapid industrialization, poverty, political instability, and large food imports and debt burden, make long-term food security especially urgent.
Finally, the challenge of defining and dealing with the problems associated with today's food production system is inherently laden with controversy and emotion. "It is unfortunate, but true, that many in the agriculture community view sustainable agriculture as a personal critcism, or an attack, on conventional agriculture of which they are justifiably proud. I guess the main thing people get defensive about when you say sustainable," explained one agent, "is that it implies that what they've been doing is not sustainable. And that's the biggest issue." [Judy Green, "Sustainable Agriculture: Why Green Ideas Raise a Red Flag" Farming Alternatives Newsletter (Cornell) (Summer 1999).
National Agricultural Library Cataloging Record:
Gold, Mary V.
Sustainable agriculture: definitions and terms
(Special reference briefs; 99-02)
1. Sustainable agriculture - Terminology. I. Title
NAL Call # : aS21.D27S64 no. 99-02
ISSN 1052-5368
Historically, farming played an important role in our development and identity as a nation. From strongly agrarian roots, we have evolved into a culture with few farmers. Less than two percent of Americans now produce food for all U.S. citizens. Can sustainable and equitable food production be established when most consumers have so little connection to the natural processes that produce their food? What intrinsically American values have changed and will change with the decline of rural life and farmland ownership?
World population continues to grow. According to recent United Nations population projections, the world population will grow from 5.7 billion in 1995 to 9.4 billion in 2050, 10.4 billion in 2100, and 10.8 billion by 2150, and will stabilize at slightly under 11 billion around 2200. The rate of population increase is especially high in many developing countries. In these countries, the population factors, combined with rapid industrialization, poverty, political instability, and large food imports and debt burden, make long-term food security especially urgent.
Finally, the challenge of defining and dealing with the problems associated with today's food production system is inherently laden with controversy and emotion. "It is unfortunate, but true, that many in the agriculture community view sustainable agriculture as a personal critcism, or an attack, on conventional agriculture of which they are justifiably proud. I guess the main thing people get defensive about when you say sustainable," explained one agent, "is that it implies that what they've been doing is not sustainable. And that's the biggest issue." [Judy Green, "Sustainable Agriculture: Why Green Ideas Raise a Red Flag" Farming Alternatives Newsletter (Cornell) (Summer 1999).
National Agricultural Library Cataloging Record:
Gold, Mary V.
Sustainable agriculture: definitions and terms
(Special reference briefs; 99-02)
1. Sustainable agriculture - Terminology. I. Title
NAL Call # : aS21.D27S64 no. 99-02
ISSN 1052-5368
