5 Ways Organic Farming Is Sustainable

In my previous article, I clarified the meaning of the term organic to demystify this buzzword. It turns out that “organic” is not a marketing scam. The term organic denotes food grown in environments that use natural, sustainable farming practices.

Organic farming is a sustainable alternative to conventional farming. Profit-driven, unsustainable practices that damage the health of the planet, humans, and non-human animals characterize conventional agriculture. On the other hand, organic farming works with the farm’s resources and the cycles of nature to produce food and soil that feed humans now and for years to come.

What are the sustainable farming practices used to grow USDA-certified organic food?

Organic crop production practices involve: soil fertility; crop rotation; the PAMS strategy of pest, weed, and disease management; organic seeds and planting stocks; and maintaining the identity and integrity of organic crops. [1]

1. Soil fertility

Good soil fertility allows crops to naturally resist diseases, survive droughts, and tolerate insects. [2] Organisms in the soil break down compost and animal and green manures (as opposed to the sewage sludge and biosolids!) applied by farmers. This decomposition process yields nutrients that the plants absorb. It also creates humus, the organic component of soil. Farmers use cover crops, mulches, conservation tillage, contour plowing, and strip cropping to protect the soil from wind and water erosion.

2. Crop Rotation

The practice of crop rotation—the rotation of crops in a field or planting bed over time—allows farmers to circumvent many problems. Instead of planting potatoes in the same field year after year, an organic farmer using crop rotation chooses to plant crops from other families (e.g. broccoli, watermelons, corn) for several years before replanting the original potato crop. Crop rotation disrupts insect life cycles, wards off plant diseases, and reduces soil erosion. It bolsters the production of organic matter, nitrogen fixation, and biodiversity. [3]

3. The PAMS Strategy of pest, weed and disease management

Rather than routinely dousing crops in a cascade of pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides to kill everything but the crop, organic farmers use the “PAMS” strategy. PAMS involves: prevention, avoidance, monitoring, and suppression. [4] Organic farmers may release predatory insects to decrease pest populations or lay mulch to discourage weeds. Suppression involves only approved substances, such as naturally occurring microorganisms, naturally derived insecticides, or a handful of approved synthetic substances.

4. Organic Seeds and Planting Stocks

In order to protect the integrity of their crops, organic crop producers do not use seeds and planting stocks that are genetically modified. [5] Buying organic ensures that you are not getting GMOs, which is awesome, since GMOs do not require labeling. Organic farmers also avoid seeds and planting stocks treated with prohibited substances (e.g. fungicides, herbicides, pesticides). Instead, organic farmers use organic seeds and planting stocks.

5. Maintain the identity and integrity of organic crops

Organic farmers prevent contact between organic and conventional crops, and contamination by pesticides and fertilizers. Split operations that raise both organic and conventional crops must ensure that organic crops are unscathed by conventional agrochemicals, spray drift, and residues. [6] Defined boundaries and buffer zones separate organic and conventional crops. Land must be free of prohibited materials for 36 months prior to use for organic cultivation.

Which sustainability factor is the most important to you? List your number one concern or priority in the comments below.

References:

[1-6] https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Organic%20Practices%20Factsheet.pdf

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.