Organic vs. No-Till Movements

1. Organic vs. No-Till Movements So…what exactly are they?

2. Organic Farming: Farming method implementing natural methods to feed soil and reduce pests Ideally producing good crop yields with minimal impact on the environment and on ecological factors Use of synthetically-produced fertilizers, pesticides, growth hormones and growth regulators is prohibited Biological, mechanical and cultural management techniques Government approved certifiers inspect farms and handling companies

3. No-Till Farming: • a.k.a. conservation tillage or zero tillage; once called chemical farming • growing crops from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage; the soil is left intact and crop residue is left on the field • Helps to retain carbon in soil • Regular tillage agitates the soil in various ways, usually with tractor-drawn implements • Tilling is used to remove weeds, mix in fertilizers, create furrows for irrigation and for seeding • Leads to unfavorable effects • Soil compaction • Loss of organic matter • Degradation of soil aggregates • Death or disruption of soil microbes, arthropods, and earthworms • Soil Erosion – topsoil is blown away

4. HistoryThe Organic Movement • Rudolf Steiner • Biodynamics • Sir Albert Howard (1873 – 1937) • Organic farming pioneer • Lady Eve Balfour • “The Living Soil” • Walter Northbourne • Term: “Organic Farming” • Jerome Rodale – 1942 • Popularized organic farming in U.S.A. • Rachel Carson • “Silent Spring”

5. HistoryThe No-Till Movement • Indigenous cultures • Ancient Egyptians and Incas • Great Plains (1930s) • Dust Bowl! • Edward Faulkner (1940s) • Plowman’s Folly • Paraquat (UK - 1955) • Pesticide • International and • national development • of techniques • - USA, Latin America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe Ravages of the Dust Bowl on a Ranch in Texas in the 1930s >>

6. Methods

7. Bibliography *Organic farming label: http://www.organic-europe.net/europe_eu/default.asp *John Deere no-till tractor: http://ag-america.org/prod02.htm *history of organic farming: http://www.westonaprice.org/farming/history-organic-farming.html *Silent spring pic: https://fifthseasongardening.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=648_649 *no-till history: http://www.rolf-derpsch.com/notill.htm *Texas dust bowl: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-Slang8.html *Organic Farming definition: http://www.worldhungeryear.org/fslc/faqs2/ria_609.asp?section=9&click=9 *No-till Definition: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/notill.htm *Organic Tomatoes: http://organicday.blogspot.com/ *Steps Toward a Successful Transition to No-Till *Better Soils with the No-Till System *Organic Farming Methods: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/06-103.htm

8. Effects on Productivity and Environmental Issues Organic Farming

9. Agricultural Productivity • Similar yields to conventional farming • Produce is often of better quality • In drought conditions, organic crops can have higher yields than conventional farming • Better soil conditions lead to healthier crops • Less time consuming, more acres can be tended

10. Environmental Impacts - Soils • More organic matter in soil • Increased biodiversity, above and below surface • Reduced soil erosion • Thicker topsoil • Reduced nutrient leaching • Greater water retention • Helps to build soils, instead of degrading them • However, organic farming still involves tillage

11. Environmental Impacts on Water Resources • Decreased runoff reduces pollutants in rivers and oceans • Nitrate pollution in groundwater reduced • No chemical treatment means less nutrient runoff • Decreases algal blooms • Reduction in “dead zones”

12. Environmental Impacts Climate Change • Organic fields retain carbon, reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere • Organically grown crops require less fossil fuel energy to produce, reducing carbon emissions

13. http://amethyst.epa.gov/revatoolkit/images/pic10380.jpg http://www.nitrate.com/potting_soil.jpg http://www.hcrs.calpoly.edu/images/students/departmentFacilities/organic-farm-collage.jpg http://www.actnow.com.au/files/115/earth.jpg

14. No-Till Movement

15. A system for planting crops without plowing, using herbicides to control weeds and resulting in reduced soil erosion and the preservation of soil nutrients. No-till

16. No plows or tillage equipment is needed for true No-till. No-till Drills are used to plant seed The drill is specialty planter that efficiently cuts through residue, opens the seed bed, seeds, and closes the trough. No-till Equipment

17. Production Benefits and Risks Environmental Benefits and Risks No-Till Effects

18. Increased Soil Organic Matter Increased Water Capacity Increased Night Crawler Population Improved Soil Structure Reduced Field Time Production Benefits

19. Cooler and Wetter Planting Soils Increase In Perennial Weeds Increase In Chemical Costs Potential For Disease Increase Some Crops Do Not Tolerate Competition Production Risks

20. Decreased Erosion Potential Increased Carbon Sink Higher Biodiversity Level Environmental Benefits

21. Increased Use of Pesticides and Herbicides Disease Bed Potential Environmental Risks

22. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/no-till • http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/ag/baudr136.html • http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jul07/soil0707.htm • http://www.greatplainsmfg.com/images/NoTillImages/notill.jpg • http://www.gpa.notill.org/images/nt_corn.jpg • http://caseih.com/files/tbl_s54PageItems%5CImage358%5C369%5CSDX40-008-04.jpg • Betters Soils with the No-Till System • Steps Toward a Successful Transition to No-Till • A Conservation Catalog