Farming with Terraces and Raised Beds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WddekwA23dk&feature=relmfu

Sepp Holtzer reveals some of his secrets to his success in this mini-documentary, namely his use of terraces and raised beds in his farming. The former technique has been implemented by farmers for centuries, only to be abandonned in the wake of conventional farming. The latter is fairly new and Holtzer puts his own spin on it putting a layer of various organic matter under the surface. Both of thesse techniques help to create a microclimate around the plants. Terracing especially helps to stop soil erosion and thus allows for greater moisture retention. Holtzer thus has need for irrigation. The special raised beds help the plants to stay warm, allowing them to stay active even during winter under the snow.

Intelligent Use of Water

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bar82jvGvPE&feature=related

No one can overstate the importance of water use and managment in agriculture. However, most do not know the uses of water beyond irrigation. As Sepp Holtzer demonstrates in the video above, water can have a variety of uses. Such include the use of ponds to create microclimates to foster plant growth, a system to extend the growing season,  a source of electricity, a source of income and more. With his innovative and intelligent use of water, Holtzer is able to live almost completely independantly of the outside world.

The Agro Rebel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yScINihX_z8

Sepp Holtzer is a name well known in permaculture circles for good reason. After all, he had been farming for several years using permaculture before the term was even invented. The above documentarty lays out his success, his struggles and his techniques. Holtzer's brand of farming does not at all resemble any form of conventional agriculture. Instead of a chemical, mechanical, monocrop operation, Holtzer runs his mountain farm in the exact opposite way. Instead of chemical fertilizer he allows natural processes to maintain soil fertility. Nearly everthing is done by hand. Various plants are allowed to grow together, forming a support system for all of them. His entire opperation is based on careful observation and cooperating with nature.

Making the Big Bucks with Permaculture

Paul Wheaton, founder of the permaculture forum at permies.com , covers in a series of podcasts some ways of making very good via permaculture and tells a little about some success stories such as Sepp Holtzer and Masanobu Fukuoka. Wheaton stresses the cost benefits of permaculture practices and the importance of marketing.

Part I
Part II
Part III

Permaculture Forum - Permies

http://www.permies.com/forums/

An earlier post contained the documentary Farm of the Future. Within the documentary, Permaculture (permanent agriculture) was mentioned as a solution to the problems agriculuture will face in the future. Anyone whose interest was sparked ought to consider join the permaculture forums known as Permies. The forum covers  just about any related subject one could think of, from growing things, to many sorts of animals and livestock, to general sustainable living tips and everything in-between. One may find the series of podcasts and articles of use as well. Be aware, though. A number of topics are unusual and perhaps off-putting.

Dry-Farming

With the historic drought occuring in the United States as of late, I believe this a timely book. Dry-Farming: It's Priciples and Practice by William MacDonald covers exactly as the title says. Though published over a century ago, I  think farmers concerned with water managment and retenion may learn a thing or two. It includes a history of Dry-Farming, the conservation of soil moisture, rainfall and evaporation, the tilling problems, Dry-Farming zones, dry land crops, and more

Source: http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglibrary/01aglibwelcome.html

PDF: http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglibrary/010172.dry.farming.pdf

Yet Another Blog - OlyFarms

http://www.olyfarms.org/

This third sustainable ag blog, out of Olympia, Washington, formed in response to growing cocern oven the state of America's food supply, which is in the hands of profit-driven mega corporations, producing food as a merely commodity. The blog itself is rather small scale, originating from a desire to expand small organic farms in the South Sound area. The blog provides information on  composting benefits, sustainable gardening including permaculture, organic fertilizer, some news artciles, and some cost saving tips. Blogs like this are legion, proving that concerns about the conventional farming system aboud, and are far from isolated.

Weeds, Guardians of the Soil

Many would consider plants known as weeds as little more than an eyesore or a nuisance. Not everyone thinks that way, though. For some such as Joseph Cocannouner, author of Weeds, Guardians of the Soil, weeds provide a number of important and beneficial functions. For one, they bring up minerals that have been depleted in the topsoil from the lower subsoil for the benefit of the crops. Additionally, according to Cocannouner, weeds break up rough patches of soil, allowing future crops to send down roots much more deely than before. Weeds furthermore promote a good environment for the small organisms that make any soil fertile. Lastly, weeds serve as great indicators of overall soil health and as specific indicators of particular deficiencies. Any farmer or gardener who finds weeds a source of consternation may want to consider reading this.

This out-of-print text can also be found at the Soil and Health Ag Library.

Another Sustainable Ag Blog - The Ethicurean

http://www.ethicurean.com/

A diverse sustaniable agriculture news blog, The Ethicurean provides articles on nearly everything having to do with sustainable ag. Common topics include activism, buisness and technology, culture, education, and farming, and food. Those are merely the broad categories, though. The blog covers some more interesting points, such as fast food, cloning, Big Ag, GMOs, and Urban Farming. Such topics may seem controversial, especially GMOs, but they are important ones, worthy of discussion.

Seedstock - Sustainable Ag Blog

http://seedstock.com/

The first in a series of blogs I'll be linking, Seedstock seems a fairly diverse one. It provides providses a place for "entrepreneurs, researchers, growers, the not-for-profit sector, and investors to encourage an open and ongoing dialogue focused on efficient and sustainable food production solutions." The reader will find a number of links to resources such as research organizations, career opportunities, and farmer training programs, media articles, farm profiles, and more.

Soil Building for Better Crops

http://www.betuco.be/CA/Building%20Soils%20for%20Better%20Crops.pdf

Ultimately, the quality and quantity of any plant or crop depends upon the quality of the soil it's grown in. This handy and practical manual provides good information on intelligent and ecological managment of soil. The beginner agriculturalist or horticulturalist can find much of use here, as will one looking for a more ecological approach. Topics include soil basics such as nutrients and physical properties, ecological soil and crop management, and soil health evaluation.

A List of Plants with Pesticidal Properties

With the noted dangers of conventional agricultural pesticides, perhaps an intelligent of some of these plants could prove an effective and far less damaging alternative.

Source: http://www.rexresearch.com/agro/1pestic.htm

Plants with Broad-Spectrum Pesticidal Properties

Source: Grainge, M. & Ahmed, S.:  Handbook of Plants with Pest-Control Properties; 1988, Resource Systems Inst., East-West Center, Honolulu, HI. Wiley & Sons, New York.

Grainge, M. RIC, East-West Centre, Honolulu, Hawai, U.S 
Ahmed, S. Resource Systems Institute (RIC), East-West Centre, Honolulu, Hawai, United States

African Marigold (Tagetes erecta) 
American False Hellebore (Veratrum viride) 
Angel's Trumpet (Datura metel) 
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) 
Castor Bean (Ricinus communis) 
Chinaberry, Persian Lilac (Melia azedarach) 
Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium) 
Cockroach Plant (Haplophyton cimicidium ) 
Custard Apple (Annona reticulata) 
Derris (Derris elliptica) 
Devil's Shoestring (Tephrosia virginiana) 
European White Hellebore (Veratrum album) 
French Marigold (Tagetes patula) 
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) 
Goatweed (Ageratum conyzoides) 
Indian Aconite (Aconitum ferox) 
Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) 
Mammey Apple Tree (Mammea americana) 
Neem Tree (Azadirachta indica) 
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) 
Purging Cotton (Croton tiglium) 
Sabadilla (Schoenocaulon officinale) 
Southern Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis) 
Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa) 
Sweetcane (Mundulea suberosa) 
Sweetflag (Acorus calamus) 
Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) 
Tung Tree (Aleurites fordii) 
Vogel Tephrosia (Tephrosia vogelii) 
Wild Tobacco (Nicotiana rustica)

Chili Peppers act effectively as a stomach poison, repellent, antifeedant and viroid against: Ants, Aphids, Caterpillars, Colorado Beetle, Cabbage Worm, Rice Weevil, Cucumber Mosaic Virus, Cucumber Ringspot Virus, Tobacco Etch, & Tobacco Mosaic Virus.

Derris (D. elliptica) dust is effective against: Adzuki Bean Beetle, Army Worms, American Bollworm, Diamondback Moth, Fruit Flies, Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Melon Aphid,  Pyricularia oryzae (fungus).

Garlic fights against: Aphids, Army Worms, Colorado Beetle, False Codling Moth, Kharpa Beetle, Mexican Bean Beetle, Inported Cabbage Worm, Wire worms.

Mammey Apple (Mammea americana) powdered seeds vs: Aphids, Diamondback Moth, Cucumber Beetle, Imported Cabbage worm, Melon Worm, Mites, Rice Weevil.

Neem (Azadirachta indica) has been found to be effective against about 100 pests including: American Bollworm, Aphids, Brown Rice Plant Hopper, Diamondback Moth, Cabbage Worm, Colorado Beetle, Cutworms, Desert Locust, Fall Arm Worm, Flea Beetle, Green Rice Leaf Hopper, Large Cabbage Worm, Leaf Miner, Mediteranean Fruitfly, Mexican Bean Beetle, Migratory Locust, Mites, Potato Jassid, Rice Stalk Borers, Spotted Stalk Borers, Variegated Grasshopper, White-Backed Rice Plant Hopper, White Fly.

Chrysanthemum  (C. cinerariaefolium) contains pyrethrum, effective against: Aphids, Coffee Bugs, Colorado Beetle, Flea Beetles, Grasshoppers, Cabbage Worm, and many other beetles, caterpillars, beetles, locusts, mites, moths, thrips, etc.

Quassia (Q. amara) is a contact- and stomach poison, insecticide, larvicide, and nematicide, and also acts systematically against: Aphids, Diamondback Moth, Caterpillars, Colorado Beetle, Leaf Miners, Melonworm, Mites, Black Carpet Beetle, and Silkworm. It is not effective against: Codling Moth, Mexican Bean Beetle, or Peach Aphid.

Better than Organic

This article, which is actually a rather lengthy interview, details the shortcommings of the organic farming movement. Topics covered include nutrition and health, soil fertilty, a history of the organic movement, and the importance of soil minerals.

Part I: http://www.soilminerals.com/AgricolaI.htm

Part II: http://www.soilminerals.com/AgricolaII.htm

PDF version: http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglibrary/010178.better.than.organic.pdf

Making Money, Making Sense

Making Money, Making Sense: Literature Review

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy has compiled in this literature review about twenty years' worth of sustainable agriculture research stretching about 1981-2001. Though fairly dated, it contains good information on a wide variety of topics. Such topics include a comparison between conventional and sustainable systems, soil building and fertility managment, and livestock managment.

5 Reasons Pesticides are Bad

5 Reasons Why Pesticides are Bad

Wednesday, 19 May, 2010
By Lynn Fang

Photo by Kevin Lallier.

At this point, most people are at least somewhat aware that pesticides cause a great deal of environmental harm. Less well known are the effects pesticides have on individual and public health. Here, I give you 5 compelling reasons to avoid pesticides.

A quick note: This list is a little data-heavy.  To start, it will help to read through the bold lines first, and then go back to see the data behind each claim.

1. Acute exposure can kill you.

“Late in the afternoon of April 1, 1990, a three-year-old girl playing in front of her trailer home in California’s San Joaquin Valley suddenly lost control of her body and began foaming at the mouth. By the time the girl arrived at the local emergency room, she was near death. She recovered eventually. A report filed with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation concluded the child had been poisoned by aldicarb, a highly toxic insecticide that works the same way on people as it does on bugs — like nerve gas. ‘Somebody had parked a tractor with pesticide material on it right in front of the play area,’ said Michael O’Malley, the author of the report and a physician at the University of California, Davis.”

– Matt Crenson, Associated Press, December 9, 1997

Some common symptoms of over-exposure include burning, stinging, or itchy eyes, nose, throat and skin; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing, coughing, headache. These symptoms can range from mild irritation to death. These symptoms are often misdiagnosed and not attributed to pesticide poisoning. [Peel Public Health]

2. Chronic exposure to pesticides can lead to neurological damage, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

Several studies have shown a link between pesticide exposure and the onset of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other neurological conditions such as epilepsy. The main path of exposure is airborne: breathing pesticides. Recently, UCLA researchers looked at Central Valley residents diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and found that “years of exposure to the combination of these two pesticides [the herbicide paraquat and fungicide maneb] increased the risk of Parkinson’s by 75 percent. Further, for people 60 years old or younger diagnosed with Parkinson’s, earlier exposure had increased their risk for the disease by as much as four- to six-fold.” [ScienceDaily]

Dr. Patrick Carr of the University of North Dakota finds that low doses of pesticide exposure induces physical changes in the brain, shown in a PET scan. These changes correlate to “a loss of neurons in particular regions of the brain.” Other regions not experiencing a loss instead express different amounts of neurotransmitter chemicals, altering the delicate chemical balance in the brain. [MPRNews]

3. Chronic exposure to pesticides increases the chance of developing endocrine and reproductive disorders. Here are two pesticides to use as case studies:

DDT:

Young women exposed to DDT (in the 1950s) have a greater chance of developing breast cancer later in life. From the Pesticide Action Network – UK:

One recent study found higher levels of miscarriages among women exposed to DDT, and reproductive disorders associated with DDT are well documented in animal studies[6,7]. Another recent study found developmental delays among babies and toddlers exposed in the womb[8]. Other studies have linked DDT to reduced breastmilk production, premature delivery and reduced infant birthweights[9,10]. DDT is classified by US and international authorities as a probable human carcinogen[11].

DDT is now banned in the US, but is being revived for use as an anti-malaria agent in developing nations. I mention DDT because it shows you the egregious effects of using pesticides that have been poorly studied. Additionally, DDT is still present in our air.

Atrazine:

Atrazine has been one of the top two selling pesticides in the US, also commonly found in household pesticide sprays. Many studies on frogs and rodents have shown that atrazine causes developmental disorders and delays and compromises healthy immune function. Most significantly, atrazine causes male frogs and rodents to feminize and produce ovaries and eggs. Animal studies have predictive value in humans, as hormone functions are very similar among all animals. Tyrone Hayes, professor of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley (whose course I took, he is absolutely amazing, by the way), has done extensive work on this subject and is a prime example of science activism. His website,atrazinelovers.com informs the public about all deleterious effects of atrazine and is backed up with extensive research data. His site states,

similar to atrazine’s induction of prostate cancer and mammary cancer in laboratory rodents, men exposed to atrazine in a Syngenta production facility in Louisiana developed prostate cancer at 8.4 times the rate of unexposed factory workers [9, 10] and women whose well water was contaminated with atrazine were more likely to develop breast cancer when compared to women who lived in the same area, but who do not drink well water [11].

4. Pesticide spray can drift through the air, being carried thousands of miles from where it was originally sprayed. They contaminate our waterways, and can be found in drinking water.

Pesticides can be detected miles from agricultural sites, can be detected in rainfall, as well as in the air. A study by the US Geological Survey in 2000 revealed that “every rain and air sample collected from the urban and agricultural sites had detectable levels of multiple pesticides. The magnitude of total concentration was 5-10 times higher at the agricultural site as compared to the urban site.” In this study, methyl parathion was the pesticide with highest concentration in both air and rain samples. Additionally, even though two decades have passed since the ban of DDT in the US, a metabolite of DDT (p,p’-DDE) was detected in every air sample collected from the agricultural site and in over half the air samples from the urban site.

Atrazine:

Atrazine is highly mobile and can travel as far as 600 miles from the initial point of application. Every year, a half million pounds of atrazine returns to the US in the form of rain and snowfall. It is also the most common groundwater contaminant, and has persisted in France where it has not been applied for 15 years. [atrazinelovers.com]

The EPA allows an average of 3 ppb (parts per billion) of atrazine to be present in drinking water. This is a running average, and does not consider the maximum level that could possibly be present during peak use of atrazine. “Concentrations as low as 0.1 ppb have been shown to alter the development of sex characteristics in male frogs.” [NRDC]

5. Persistent pesticide use over long periods of time results in lower crop yields, reduced soil fertility, and increased susceptibility to attack by new forms of pests and disease.

Soil fertility and crop yield:Pesticides reduce activity of beneficial microflora in soil, therefore while yields are initially high, they will decline over time due to loss of soil health and fertility. I will have to save discussion of beneficial microflora in soil for a different entry, but in essence, soil health depends on a large variety of factors. These include a combination of beneficial bacteria (rhizobia), fungi (mycelia), worms, etc, working together to aid plants in nutrient absorption. A study by Tulane University Professor John McLachlan reveals the inhibitory effects pesticides have on these beneficial microflora and fauna, and how this translates to declining yields over time, as well as declining soil health (the ability to continue to grow crops).

Genetic diversity for resistance to pest and disease outbreak:Industrial agriculture also promotes growing crops in monoculture, which means to grow only one species of crop, eliminating any genetic diversity. Genetic diversity is an asset which protects against new diseases. Pests, viruses, and bacteria are all constantly mutating. If an invading pest arrives with a powerful new mutation, a monoculture cannot withstand the pest attack. However, a genetically diverse set of crops will have a greater chance of withstanding the attack, as some variations may have better protection against new intruders than others. Don’t put your eggs in one basket! Such extensive pesticide use increases a monoculture crop’s vulnerability to disease and also accelerates pesticide resistance in weeds. [PANNA]

To end on an optimistic note: The amount of detectable pesticide residues in human urine drops immediately after switching to an organic diet. [Chengsheng Lu et. al]

Source: http://www.green-blog.org/2010/05/19/5-reasons-why-pesticides-are-bad/

Study Shows Organic Farming to be Profitable

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture:

November 15, 2011

GREENFIELD, Iowa -- Organic crop systems can provide similar yields and much higher economic returns than a conventional corn-soybean rotation, according to thirteen years of data from a side-by-side comparison at Iowa State University’s Neely-Kinyon Research and Demonstration Farm.

The Long-Term Agroecological Research Experiment (LTAR) began in 1998 with support from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The LTAR is one of the longest running replicated comparisons in the country. Kathleen Delate, professor in ISU Agronomy and Horticulture, leads the project.

“The transitioning years are the hardest years,” Delate said, explaining that the project was originally designed to help farmers make the shift into an organic system. To sell a product as organic, the crop must be raised on land that has received no synthetic chemicals for three years prior to harvest.

The LTAR experiment shows that organic crops can remain competitive with conventional crops even during the three-year transition. Averaged over 13 years, yields of organic corn, soybean and oats have been equivalent to or slightly greater than their conventional counterparts. Likewise, a 12-year average for alfalfa and an 8-year average for winter wheat also show no significant difference between organic yields and the Adair County average.

Organic crops fetch a premium price on the market and eliminate the need for expensive inputs like herbicides and synthetic fertilizers. As a result, they are far more profitable than conventional crops. Craig Chase, interim leader of the Leopold Center’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative and extension farm management specialist, calculated the returns to management—that is, the money left over for family living after deducting labor, land and production costs—for both systems. He based his calculations on actual LTAR data from 1998 to 2004, as well as scenarios modeled with enterprise budgets.

Both methods gave the same result: On average, organic systems return roughly $200 per acre more than conventional crops.

In addition to its profitability, organic agriculture helps build healthy soils. While conventional LTAR plots receive synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizer, organic plots receive only local, manure-based amendments. Total nitrogen increased by 33 percent in the organic plots, and researchers measured higher concentrations of carbon, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and calcium. The results suggest that organic farming can foster greater efficiency in nutrient use and higher potential for sequestrating carbon.

  

Delate said they use “a whole suite of practices to manage weeds” in the organic plots, including timely tillage and longer crop rotations. Allelopathic chemicals from rye and alfalfa help keep weed populations under control, as does growing an alfalfa cover crop in winter, which provided cover for beneficial insects and animals.

“I think there’s a strong future for organic agriculture,” Delate said.  “My phone is ringing off the hook. The interest hasn’t waned.”

When Delate became Iowa State’s first specialist in organic agriculture in 1997, the Leopold Center provided start-up funds to develop a program and set up LTAR research plots. The Center has provided annual operating funds for LTAR and, in 2010, the work was moved to a competitive grant in the Leopold Center’s Cross-Cutting Initiative.

LTAR’s findings concur with recently published results from the Rodale Institute’s 30-year Farming Systems Trial in Pennsylvania. The Rodale Institute also concluded that organic systems can provide similar yields and greater profits. In addition, they calculated that organic crops required 45 percent less energy, and contributed significantly less to greenhouse gas emissions. Organic corn proved especially profitable during drought years, when its yields jumped up to 31 percent higher than conventional.

Download a brochure about the LTAR project at www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs-and-papers/2011-11-ltar-experiment. Read the Rodale Institute report at http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/fst30years.

Some very Interesting Information about Food Regulation...

FARMAGGEDON

Sources: http://farmageddonmovie.com/

              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uah8LBUbfc

This rather engaging documentary entitled "Farmaggedon" reveals the obstacles and conflicts that organic farmers and food producers face from federal food regulation agencies. Often such farmers face harassment, crushing amounts of regulatory paperwork, seizures of their products and livestock, house arrest, and even threats at gunpoint. This film certainly raises many questions and provides food for thought. One wonders why the goverment agencies intensly regulate the sale of  healthful foods such as raw milk yet do nothing to regulate the sale of unhealthy processed and fast foods. What sort of interests are food regulation agencies really protecting?

A Farm for the Future

           The above documentary presents the story of a British farmer in her attempt to find answers to the problem of oil dependance as it relates to agriculture, since modern agriculture relies heavily on petroleum to operate farm equipment and transport produce. She seems to find the answer in what is known as permaculture. The documentary then goes on to explain a little of what permaculture is, though not in detail. In fact, nothing is explained in too much detail. However, it might serve as a solid introduction to those unaware of permaculture or the relation of oil dependance to agriculture. The video may be found here.

Arguments in Favor of Organic Farming

http://www.ifoam.org/growing_organic/1_arguments_for_oa/criticisms_misconceptions/misconceptions_index.html

        This site lays out quite well the counter-arguments against those skeptical of organic agriculture. The six broad arguments addressed include the healthiness of organic foods, the comparative environmental impact of  organic farming, the apparent costliness of organic food, the treatment of organically raised livestock, the ability of organic farming to feed the global population, the social justice of organic farming, and the core philosophy. Each argument is addressed in detailed subarguments, totaling forty-two altogether. This presents some good foundation  information for anyone interested.

A PDF version can be found here.

Introduction

                The future of agriculture should concern anyone who desires the material well-being of his nation. Agriculture and food production form the foundation upon which any prosperous state rests. Without a stable and readily available food supply, little else matters. Said food supply ought to provide sufficient nutrition,  allowing for a healthy populace. Additionally, the manner in which people in any given nation or region practice agriculture merits concern. Sustainable agriculture requires economic stability and viability, a sense of self-sufficiency, and a responsible stewardship of the natural environment. With its government subsidization, dependence on fossil fuels, and its destructive effect on human and natural health, conventional agriculture cannot realistically endure for much longer.This blog is for those current or aspiring agriculturalists who understand the serious problems endemic to the current system and search for a better way. Though I am new to the field myself, being a Horticulture undergrad student at Tarleton State University, I would still like to contribute some valuable information. May this this blog prove a decent source.
     

Below is short summary of some concepts:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/sustainable-agriculture/

Sustainable agriculture takes many forms, but at its core is a rejection of the industrial approach to food production developed during the 20th century. This system, with its reliance on monoculture, mechanization, chemical pesticides and fertilizers, biotechnology, and government subsidies, has made food abundant and affordable. However, the ecological and social price has been steep: erosion; depleted and contaminated soil and water resources; loss of biodiversity; deforestation; labor abuses; and the decline of the family farm. The concept of sustainable agriculture embraces a wide range of techniques, including organic, free-range, low-input, holistic, and biodynamic. The common thread among these methods is an embrace of farming practices that mimic natural ecological processes. Farmers minimize tilling and water use; encourage healthy soil by planting fields with different crops year after year and integrating croplands with livestock grazing; and avoid pesticide use by nurturing the presence of organisms that control crop-destroying pests. Beyond growing food, the philosophy of sustainability also espouses broader principles that support the just treatment of farm workers and food pricing that provides the farmer with a livable income. Critics of sustainable agriculture claim, among other things, that its methods result in lower crop yields and higher land use. They add that a wholesale commitment to its practices will mean inevitable food shortages for a world population expected to exceed 8 billion by the year 2030. There's recent evidence, though, suggesting that over time, sustainably farmed lands can be as productive as conventional industrial farms