What is sustainable agriculture?

Sustainable agriculture, as defined by Title XVI, Subtitle A, Sec. 1603 of the 1985 Farm Bill, is an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long-term: satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agriculture economy depends; make the most use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources, and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and enhance the quality of life for farmers and ranchers, and society as a whole .

Sustainable agriculture encompasses broad goals, and farmers and ranchers develop specific strategies for achieving them. Using a great variety of farming strategies allows producers to meet their needs: in their operations, their environments and their communities. The primary goals of sustainable agriculture include:

• Providing a more profitable farm income
• Promoting environmental stewardship, including:
  • Protecting and improving soil quality
  • Reducing dependence on non-renewable resources, such as fuel and synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and
  • Minimizing adverse impacts on safety, wildlife, water quality and other environmental resource
• Promoting stable, prosperous farm families and communities

How producers reach those goals is as different as prairie flowers dotting a Midwest landscape.

A cattle rancher might divide his rangeland into sub-sections for his herd to graze in a rotational strategy to better manage natural resources like streams and soil while improving animal productivity.

A field crop farmer might plant different crops each season - and include "cover crops," non-cash crops grown for their benefit to the soil and ability to suppress weeds - to break up pest cycles, improve soil fertility and cut costs.

A fruit and vegetable grower might try a new approach to selling her harvest, such as directly to restaurants in a nearby city, to gain a larger share of the consumer food dollar.

No single practice works in every field. No one recipe works on every farm. There are thousands of ways to farm more sustainably.

To read about 50 successful farmers, check out The New American Farmer at
www.sare.org/newfarmer .

Elements of Sustainability

Farmers and ranchers can choose many ways to improve their sustainability, and these vary from region to region, state to state and farm to farm. However, some common sets of practices have emerged, many of them aimed at greater use of on-farm or local resources. Some of those practices are illustrated here, each contributing in some way to long-term farm profitability, environmental stewardship and improved quality of life.

1. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)
IPM is an approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks.

2. ROTATIONAL GRAZING
Management-intensive grazing systems take animals out of the barn and into the pasture to provide high-quality forage and reduced feed costs while avoiding manure buildup.

3. SOIL CONSERVATION
Many soil conservation methods, including strip cropping, reduced tillage and no-till, help prevent loss of soil due to wind and water erosion.

4. WATER QUALITY/WETLANDS
Water conservation and protection have become important parts of agricultural stewardship. Practices such as planting riparian buffer strips can improve the quality of drinking and surface water, as well as protect wetlands.

5. COVER CROPS
Growing plants such as rye, clover or vetch after harvesting a grain or vegetable crop or intercropping them can provide several benefits, including weed suppression, erosion control and improved soil nutrients and soil quality.

6. CROP/LANDSCAPE DIVERSITY
Growing a greater variety of crops and livestock on a farm can help reduce risks from extremes in weather, market conditions or pests. Increased diversity of crops and other plants, such as trees and shrubs, also can contribute to soil conservation, wildlife habitat and increased populations of beneficial insects.

7. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
Proper management of manure, nitrogen and other plant nutrients can improve the soil and protect the environment. Increased use of on-farm nutrient sources, such as manure and leguminous cover crops, also reduces purchased fertilizer costs.

8. AGROFORESTRY
Agroforestry covers a range of tree uses on farms, including inter-planting trees (such as walnuts) with crops or pasture, growing shade-loving specialty crops in forests, better managing woodlots and windbreaks, and using trees and shrubs along streams as buffer strips.

9. ALTERNATIVE MARKETING
Farmers and ranchers across the country are finding that innovative marketing strategies can improve profits. Direct marketing of agricultural goods may include selling at farmers markets, roadside stands or through the World Wide Web; delivering to restaurants and small grocers; and running community-supported agricul-ture (CSA) enterprises.

The above list of Elements of Sustainability are excerpted from a bulletin by the same name. You can read the entire bulletin complete with 10 farmer profiles at http://www.sare.org/publications/explore/elements.htm