An Introduction to the Concepts of Sustainable Agriculture

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An Introduction to the Concepts of Sustainable
Agriculture

• IPM 401/601
• October 5, 2004

Geoff Zehnder, Coordinator IPM and Sustainable
Agriculture Programs B28 Long Hall zehnder_at_clemson
.edu
www.clemson.edu/scg/sust www.clemson.edu/scg/ipm
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Farming in the U.S.The Last 50 years

• New technologies
• Mechanization
• Increased use of farm chemicals
• Specialization and govt. policies that favor max.
  production

Fewer farmers with reduced labor demands produce
the majority of food and fiber
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Are Mega-farms Sustainable?

• Since WWII, US agriculture science and policy
  have favored large-scale, centralized farming
• The sustainability of this system is now being
  questioned

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Benefits and Costs of Large, Corporate Farms

• Benefits
• Increased production, cheap food prices
• Many risks in farming reduced
• Costs
• Topsoil depletion and loss of biodiversity
• Groundwater contamination
• Falling crop prices and increased prod. costs
• Decline of family farms and rural communities

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Growing Movement for a More Sustainable
Agriculture

• Create direct connections between farmers and
  consumers
• Create regional food self-sufficiency
• Reduce economic concentration in production,
  processing and marketing
• Encourage resource conservation

More small to medium size diversified farms
growing food for local and regional consumption
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Industrial vs. Biological Models of Agriculture
Industrial Model Biological Model
Farm as factory Energy intensive Farm as ecosystem Information intensive
Linear process Cyclical process
Enterprise separation Enterprise integration
Single enterprise Many enterprises
Monoculture Diversity of plants/animals
Low value products Higher value products
Single use equipment Multiple use equipment
Passive marketing Active marketing
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So What is Sustainable Agriculture?

• It means growing crops and livestock in ways that
  meet the following objectives simultaneously
• Economic profit
• Social benefits to the farm family and community
• Environmental conservation

Transition is a long-term goal normally requires
a series of small steps. Requires all
participants in the systems (farmers, retailers,
consumers, policymakers, etc)
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Environmental Sustainability

• Farming to mimic natural eco-systems
• Farm as a nature-based system, not a factory
• Natural cycles waste becomes input

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Managing Natural Processes on the Farm

• Energy flow capturing solar energy
• Maximize leaf area for photosynthesis efficient
  cycling of stored solar energy through food chain
• Water cycles preventing runoff, erosion
• Organic matter increase soil water holding
  capacity
• Mineral cycles
• Conservation of nutrients from soil-crops-animals-
  soil
• Ecosystem dynamics
• Effective ecosystem high level of plant/animal
  diversity

If managed properly will conserve resources and
reduce costs
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Economic Sustainability(If I grow it will they
buy it?)

• Selecting profitable enterprises
• Diversification spreads risk, maximizes profit
• Specialty crops, organic, value added
• Comprehensive financial planning
• Market research and plan

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Social SustainabilityDecisions on-farm effect
community

• Find ways to connect with community
• Buying supplies locally
• Marketing locally
• Respect for neighbors, farm workers
• Farmland conservation and preservation

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Applying the Principles of Sustainable Agriculture

• Some Examples of Sustainable Agriculture Practices

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Keep Soil Covered Year-roundCover Crops between
Market Crops

• Plant material
• moderates temperature
• increases water penetration and storage
• enhances soil aeration
• maintains soil structure, prevents erosion by
  softening the impact of falling raindrops

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Minimize Tillage

• Moldboard plowing
• Brings subsoil to surface
• Buries crop residue too deeply
• Soil compaction
• Soil exposed to erosion

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Crop RotationMarket and Cover Crops

• Long-term crop rotation plan
• Diversity in the field and at the market
• Break pest cycles, weed management
• Improve soil quality, add nutrients

Thomas Jefferson crop rotation plan for Monticello
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Cover Crops and Green Manures

• Green manure crops
• Soil incorporation of a field or forage crop
  while green
• Add organic matter
• Fix nitrogen
• Suppress weeds, pests
• Catch crops

Mustard green manure crop between wheat and
potatoes Idaho
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Fertilizer, Manure Compost

• Some conventional fertilizers can reduce soil
  quality (e.g., anhydrous ammonia and potassium
  chloride)
• Reduce populations of soil microbes necessary for
  good soil structure

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Other Forms of FertilizersImprove Soil Quality

• Manure Composted and aged manure preferred
  (usually ideal C/N ratio)
• Other environmentally friendly fertilizers
  available (soybean meal, bone meal, feather meal,
  etc)

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Pest ManagementMoving Along the IPM Continuum

• Pesticide Management Phase
• Sampling, economic thresholds, spraying when
  needed
• Cultural Management Phase
• Knowledge of pest life cycles used to implement
  cultural practices like delayed planting and
  harvest, crop rotations, etc.
• Bio-intensive IPM Phase
• Knowledge of pest and beneficial life cycles used
  to implement cultural practices and to design
  favorable habitats for natural enemies.
  Broad-spectrum pesticides avoided

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Weed Management

• Long-term plan based on a knowledge of weed
  ecology
• Crop rotations to suppress, smother weeds
• Allelopathic cover crops
• Timed cultivation to reduce weed stands and
  prevent seed set
• Mulch in high value crops

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Insect Management

• Prevention and avoidance
• Diversified habitat reduces pests, enhances
  natural enemies
• Farmscaping
• Soft insecticides if necessary

Bio-Intensive IPM http//www.attra.org/attra-pub/i
pm.html
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Disease Management

• Mixed cropping
• Plant, row spacing
• Vigorous plants more resistant to disease
• Healthy, microbially-active soil suppresses root
  diseases
• Compost disease-suppressive soil
• Compost extract

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Happy Cow DairyA Successful Transition

• Losing money with conventional dairy management
• Transitioned to a rotational grazing system (12
  Aprils)
• Added creamery
• Now more profitable, environmentally sound

Tom Trantham, Dairy Farmer Pelzer, SC
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Trantham Dairy Conventional Practices (Pre-1990)

• Confinement dairy operation
• Herd kept in barn or feedlot
• Feed, hormone inputs to maximize milk production
  (65 of income)
• High production, but not enough to cover costs

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Trantham DairyRotational (paddock) Grazing System

• 70 acres for grazing
• 75 small paddocks
• Cows graze 24 hours then moved
• Moveable electric tape fencing
• Paddocks regenerate
• Supplemental feed based on available forage,
  cows and weight, milk production goals

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Trantham DairyForage Varieties

• 12 Aprils Concept
• Plant a succession of different forages
  throughout the year
• Varieties based on performance, longevity,
  preference, nutritional value
• Objective Cows able to graze almost 12
  months/year

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Trantham DairySpecialized Equipment

• No-till seeder
• Drills seed into existing crop residue
• Can plant seed for second crop while first crop
  is being grazed

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Trantham DairyWaste, Irrigation, Fertility
Management

• Manure scraped into picket-dam
• Waste water goes into lagoon
• Solids spread onto paddocks with spreader
• Waste water used to irrigate, fertilize paddocks

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Benefits for Trantham Dairy

• 42 input cost reduction (62 cents/cow/day)
• Healthier cows, lower vet bills
• Improved soil quality, reduced use of pesticides,
  fertilizers
• Value-added benefits (better tasting milk, health
  benefits, creamery, farm market)

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Questions?