Sustainable Agriculture is more than just what you do or do not use in growing your crops. Organic Certification is a good base line, but there is more. Sustainable is water Efficient: NOP policy doesnt require that farmers or processors attempt to conserve. Sustainable farming and processing methods do try to conserve water. Sustainable farming methods may include using reclaimed water for some crops, planting drought-tolerant crop species or using reduced –volume irrigation systems. Sustainable is Energy Efficient: Most modern farms, even organic farms along with food processing plants, are heavily dependent on non-renewable energy sources, such as petroleum. Sustainable food farmers and processors know that the continued use of non-renewable energy cant go on forever and thus attempt to conserve energy now, not later. A sustainable food system may rely partially on alternative energy sources such as wind, solar or water-based power. Sustainable is Low Emission: If your goal is to help lower emissions, then local sustainable food, not organic food is your best bet. Organic certification does not cover issues such as fossil fuel used for food production or food transport. Many organic food growers and companies ship organic food products thousands of miles from farm to warehouse to store and elsewhere. Ideally, locally grown organic food is optimal for health and low emissions. However, in terms of fossil fuel use only, organics cant usually compete with locally grown sustainable food, unless an alternative fuel is used for transport trucks. Sustainable is More Humane: Human treatment of animals is something any farmer can or cannot choose to implement, but organic certification certainly wont ensure decent animal treatment. Sustainable is Eco-Friendly Packaging: Sustainable food means considering the final packaging. For example, you can grow perfectly organic strawberries, then place them in tiny plastic bins, then covers them with plastic shrink wrap, then wrap everything in a bigger box. Thats a ton of packaging and not so eco-friendly. Another example is using glass over plastic. Plastic containers, made with non-renewable petroleum, are less eco-friendly than fully recyclable glass containers. Sustainable Extends Beyond the Food Organic certification is nice but NOP policy doesnt mandate that a farmer or company act sustainably and ethically. For example, farming decisions based on sustainability should extend to other issues, such as a paperless office, incentives for using less gas-based transportation, protecting community beyond the farm, fair working conditions for workers and so on. True sustainability extends beyond basic farming goals into management and individual goals and lifestyle choices. Organic policy doesnt cover much in terms of full company or full farm sustainability, but a truly sustainable business attempts to be eco-friendly in many ways, not simply with how food is grown. Written by Ron Trunk @ Iron Mountain Nursery & Farm, Stagecoach Nevada
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 17:27:44 +0000