Environmental, Energetic, and Economic Comparisons of Organic and Conventional Farming Systems.

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Environmental, Energetic, and Economic
Comparisons of Organic and Conventional Farming
Systems.

• Kimberly Snell
• Dr. Carlson
• 4/24/06

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Introduction

• The article was written by David Pimentel a
  leading Cornell University agricultural expert
• He wrote about various organic farming
  technologies and the benefits they have on the
  environment.
• He argues that integrated pest and nutrient
  management systems and certified organic
  agriculture can reduce reliance on agro-chemical
  inputs as well as make agriculture
  environmentally and economically sound.
• For example some govnt programs in other
  countries have demonstrated that pesticide use
  can be reduced by 50-65 without sacrificing high
  crop yields and quality.

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• He states that heavy agricultural reliance on
  synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides has
  a serious impact on the public health and
  environment. For instance more than 90 of US
  corn farmers rely on herbicides that are also
  commonly found in ground water. Nutrients from
  fertilizers/animal manure deterioration of some
  large fisheries in North America. The runoff of
  soil from agricultural production in the corn
  belt has contributed to the dead zone in the
  Gulf of Mexico.

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Organic Farmings Goal

• Main goal- to increase ecological processes that
  foster plant nutrition yet conserve soil and
  water resources. Organic systems eliminate
  agrochemicals and reduce other external inputs to
  improve the environment
• Organic agriculture is fast growing in the US.
  Food sales total more than 7 billion per year
  and are growing at double digits.
• With continuing consumer concerns about the
  environment and the growing availability of
  organic production, the outlook for continuing
  growth is bright

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Rodale Institute Farming Systems

• Since 1981, the Institute has compared organic
  and conventional grain based farming systems.
• The following results represent a 22 year study
  based on environmental impacts, economic
  feasibility, energetic efficiency, soil quality,
  and other performance criteria.
• The information from this trial can be used as a
  tool for developing agricultural policies more in
  tune with the environment while increasing energy
  efficiency and economic returns.

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Basic Facts

• The field investigation trial lasted from
  1981-2002.
• The experimental design included three cropping
  systems
• Conventional
• Organic Animal Based
• Legume Organic Based
• The main plots were designed so that crop
  comparisons could be made yearly.

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Conventional Cropping

• Based on synthetic fertilizer and herbicide use.
• Represented a typical cash-grain, row crop
  farming unit and used a simple 5 crop rotation
• Much like commercial conventional operations
• The fertilizers and pesticides applications
  followed the states recommended usage

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Organic Animal Based Cropping

• This system represents a typical livestock
  operation which grain crops were grown for animal
  feed, not cash sale.
• This rotation was more complex with more crops
  included than that of conventional.
• Relied instead on mechanical cultivation,
  weed-suppressing crop rotations, and relay
  cropping, in which one crop acts as a living
  mulch for another.

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Organic Legume Cropping

• This system represented a cash-grain operation
  without the livestock. Like the conventional
  system it produced a cash grain crop every year.
  However it used no commercial synthetic
  fertilizers.
• Relied instead on nitrogen fixing green manure
• Weed control practices were similar in both
  organic systems, neither of which used
  herbicides.

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Results

• Under normal rainfall- conventional system
  yielded higher
• Under drought conditions- the two organic systems
  were quantities were close to each other but
  higher than conventional
• Energy inputs- the energy inputs for the organic
  systems were 28-32 less than that of the
  conventional system due to the intensive reliance
  of fossil fuel energy required for conventional
  system

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Results

• Economics- The economic yields between the two
  for corn is similar. The production of organic
  corn diminishes because it is grown less
  frequently however it is partly compensated for
  the additional crops that the organic system
  incorporates.
• Soil Carbon- Higher levels found and contained in
  organic systems. Also associated with higher
  water content.
• Soil Nitrogen- Initially about the same, by 2002
  organic systems levels increased.
• Nitrate Leaching- Sporadic results compared with
  similar experiments. Was 2x higher in organic.

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Results

• Herbicide Leaching- Four herbicides were applied
  to the conventional system. Two of the herbicides
  were later detected in surrounding water samples.
  In some instances the levels of herbicides
  exceeded the maximum containment level.
• Soil Biology- AM fungi are beneficial to most
  soils. They colonize the roots of most crop
  plants, and benefit the plant by enhancing the
  nutrient uptake. The soils farmed with the two
  organic systems had a greater population of
  spores of AM fungi.

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So What Does This All Mean?

• The crop yields and economics of organic systems,
  compared with conventional systems, appear to
  vary based on the crops, regions, and
  technologies employed in the studies.
• However the environmental benefits caused a
  reduction in chemical inputs, less soil erosion,
  water conservation, and improved soil organic
  matter and biodiversity were consistently greater
  in organic systems than in the conventional
  systems.
• Because there were no pesticides applied, the
  environmental damage was reduced in the organic
  systems

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So What Does This All Mean?

• The use of less fossil energy by organic
  agricultural systems reduces the amount of carbon
  dioxide and therefore reduces the problem of
  global climate change.
• As for crop yields and economics results often
  vary due to circumstances and the environment.
• However the prices for organic corn/soybeans in
  the marketplace range for 20-140 higher than
  that of the conventional. The difference in
  economics would be small, but it most cases the
  returns on organic produce would be higher.

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Challenges for Organic Agriculture

• Two primary problems with the organic system in
  the studies are that of nitrogen deficiency and
  weed competition.
• In organic production systems, pest control can
  be of heightened importance and impact
• Weed control is frequently a problem in organic
  crops because the farmer is limited in what
  he/she can use
• Insect pests and plant pathogens can be
  effectively controlled by employing crop
  rotations however it still remains a major
  problem in organic crop production.

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Adoption of Organic Technologies

• Several organic technologies, if adopted in
  current conventional production systems would
  most likely be beneficial. These include
• Employing off-season cover crops
• Use crop rotations (which conserves soil and
  water resources while reducing insect, disease,
  and weed problems
• Increasing the level of soil organic matter
  (helps conserve water and reduces drought
  effects)
• Employing natural biodiversity to reduce the use
  of agro-chemicals

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In Conclusion

• From this researched study, many benefits to
  organic farming can be identified.
• Higher levels of soil organic matter adds to the
  sustainability
• Fossil energy inputs were far less
• Crop yields of both systems can be equaled
• Labor inputs are more evenly distributed over the
  year
• Organic foods often bring higher prices in the
  marketplace
• Reduces soil erosion, reduces pollution
• Technologies can make agricultural more
  sustainable and ecologically sound.