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Why Farm Green?. Integration of Environmental Responsibility into Industrialized Agriculture. Presented by Mike Schaefer, Kelsey Mehl , Justin Suhre , and Amber Hendricks. Today we will Discuss…. The Nature of Modern Conventional Farming Effects of Modern Conventional Farming
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Why Farm Green? Integration of Environmental Responsibility into Industrialized Agriculture. Presented by Mike Schaefer, Kelsey Mehl, Justin Suhre, and Amber Hendricks
Today we will Discuss… The Nature of Modern Conventional Farming Effects of Modern Conventional Farming Green Technologies and Techniques Social Political Aspects of the Green Movement in Agriculture
Do we know our food? Yesteryear Today
Modern day farming • Conservation tillage • Focused production
A Growing Population http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/sixbillion/sixbilpart1.pdf
Conventional Farming circa 1900 • Moldboard plows • Diversified production
Agricultural Responses to Social Concerns Organic and Low external input farming
Widespread herbicide use Hypoxic zone in Gulf of Mexico Glyphosate-resistant waterhemp
Tillage • Tilling makes soil more susceptible to wind erosion • Dust Bowl in the 1930s • 40 million ha of land was destroyed • 40 million ha of land was severely damaged • Reduction of organic matter • Soil fertility is lost • Machinery passing over the soil degrades soil structure
Monoculture • Vulnerable to pests and diseases • Need to rely on chemicals to prevent devastation from pests and pathogens. http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/06/0619_agriculture_stocks/image/monsanto0.jpg
Irrigation • 16% of agricultural land is irrigated • 40% of our crops come from that 16% • About 20% of water used for irrigation come from underground • Unfortunately, we’re using more water than the natural cycle can replace • Runoff • Causes major problems downstream
Runoff • Phosphorous • Causes algae blooms • Hypoxia • Nitrogen • Hypoxia • Serious health hazards, especially for young children. http://smithsonianscience.org/2009/08/bottom-dwelling-creatures-in-the-chesapeake-bay-need-more-oxygen-study-finds/
Runoff • Agricultural runoff can also have sediments • Blocks sunlight in water • Impacts the vision of predators in water • In SE Asia, agricultural runoff has been associated with reducing the success rate of fertilization in corals.
Pesticides • Kills both the pest and the natural predator of the pest • Pests can come back stronger than before because there is not natural predators keeping them at bay • Resistant Pests • Reduce the number of pollinators in an area
Pesticides • Organic pesticides can also be harmful to humans • Copper Sulfate • Contains lead • Causes liver damage • Corrosive • Even with an increase of pesticides, total crop loss to pests remain the same
Herbicides • Could be potentially harmful to humans • Runoff • One study showed that a certain herbicide affected the hormone levels in all sorts of animals. • Can reduce the overall biodiversity in an area http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/cleansweep-pesticides/pages/p2andbmp.htm
Fertilizers • Only 30-50% of nitrogen fertilizer and 45% of phosphorus is actually taken up by crops • Increase in nitrogen oxides can lead to human health hazards • Can cause damage far away from the origin • Repeated application of inorganic pesticide have been found to suppress some soil enzymes in nutrient cycles
Fertilizers • Increase manure use had lead to eutrophication of lakes and waterways. • Also increase in volatile ammonia harms woodland creatures http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01590/pollution/eutrophication.html
Fertilizer • Improper manure composting poses human health hazards • Bacterial pathogens such as E. coli could come in contact with food and potable water sources
Meat Production • In the past 40 years, global meat production has increased over 60% • Confined animal feeding operations place animals at high density • This leads to higher disease incidence and surface water pollution due to manure runoff • Higher disease incidence also leads to more antibiotics in animals
Meat Production • Large amount of water needed • Used to drain animal wastes • 4902 liters of water are needed per 100 calories of beef, compared to the 89 liters of water to produce 500 calories of potatoes.
“Green” Techs • Defining “Green” Tech • Alternative farming practices • Technologies • GPS • Variable Rate Technology • Autosteer • Techniques • Low-external-input • Cover crops • Minimal/no tillage Green Tech
Global Positioning System (GPS) • Position determined by satellites and receiver • Real time kinematic (RTK) most commonly used in agriculture • Create data maps • Integrated with the use of other technologies
Variable Rate Technology • Applying fertilizers and pesticides at variable rates throughout field • Allows for uniform rate throughout field after application or focusing on high return sites • Used with soil maps and satellite images • Reduction in: • Excess application • Fossil fuels • Harmful chemicals
Auto-steer • AB lines and implement width • Prevents overlap or missed passes • Allows operator to pay closer attention to implement • Reduces fossil fuel use and cost
Planting and Harvest • Tracks seeding rates throughout field • Monitors yields • Maps created on yield monitor • Uploaded for record keeping • Used for future applications and management
Low-External-Input Systems • Key components • Organic soil amendments • Crop diversification • Matching or exceeding conventional system • Yield • Weed suppression • Profit characteristics
Minimum/No Tillage • Increased crop yield • Reduced labor and equipment costs • Environmental benefits • Soil and water quality • Biodiversity • Reduced greenhouse emissions
Cover Crops • Crop planted between period of regular crop production • Benefits • Erosion control • Organic matter and improved soil tilth • Fixation of atmospheric nitrogen • Recycling unused nutrients • Beneficial organisms • Partial weed control • Possible feed source
Moving Away From Conventional • Need alternatives to conventional farming • Technologies and Techniques • Push towards sustainability • Initial costs pay for themselves over time • Environmentally friendly
What are the social & political aspects of the Green movement in Agriculture?
Move to Mechanization/Technology • Traditional farming previous to the 1800’s was characterized by animal traction along with diversified farming operations using symbiotic relationships • In the 1900s, organizations like the USDA, Land Grant Universities, Agricultural Experiment Stations, and Cooperative Extension Services formed a system in which agricultural innovations developed through research could be diffused into the public. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6962167.stm
Government Response to Effects of Agricultural Innovation http://www.ipminstitute.org/school_ipm_2015.htm http://ericjuliusrcarillo.blogspot.com/2010/06/barley-studies-by-joan-marie-conway-phd.html http://www.kennuncorked.com/list_trade_orgs.html http://dnr.louisiana.gov/sec/execdiv/techasmt/about_us/archive_calendar_2009.htm
Governmental Subsidies • The US currently pays around $20 billion a year in crop subsidies. • Illinois is one of the top states in money received through crop subsidies. • Corn is the top crop for subsidy payment. • Energy Policy Act of 2005- US corn ethanol subsidies are between $5.3billion and $7billion a year.
Social and Cultural Forces • It should be clear that 3million farmers have gone out of business for economic reasons, not environmental ones. • “Law of the minimum” attitudes. • Practices of conventional agriculture are rooted in tradition and community culture.
Decision Making Benefits, costs, programs offered, government involvement, markets, social beliefs and backgrounds all have weight in a farmers decision of practices. If the goal is to get more farmers to choose green farming techniques we need address all of these factors.
Farming Green… The nature of modern farming is very complex and sustainability needs to be embraced not only in environmental terms, but also social and economical terms. It is with these thoughts that agriculture and society must make its decisions for continued growth in the future.