I bring this up because my father farms for a living, and he is an avid advocate of the no-till soil conservation method. Turn on the farm channel at any given moment and you are very likely to catch bits of this hot debate, as it is tough to regulate the importance of land sustainability against the temptation to overly depend on the use of synthetic, environmentally damaging nitrogen fertilizers to boost yields for the ever-expanding global population. There is certainly scientific evidence to prove that conventional tilling methods ultimately remove naturally-occurring organic nutrients from the soil in favor of more immediate, abundant yields in the short run - and economically speaking, this may be a perfectly "rational" choice for a crop farmer who may not intend to use the land much longer than the time it takes to let it erode and wither away. Thus the realm of science in this debate ends at the societal and economic level, because it boils down to the choices of farming methods that private landowners and agribusinesses make. There is virtually very little certainty in the field (ha, no pun intended) that the overuse of artificial fertilizers will be damaging to the environment. The same seems to go with the damage due to over-turning the soil via conventional tillage, though I do not claim to be an expert, but this is definitely a case where a farmer could easily dismiss the science in favor of their opinion, because their experiences of harvesting sufficient yields from their traditional methods weigh of greater importance to them than what seem to be the latest passing trends brought on by the media.
If this topic interests you at all, I recommend some of the articles below to read up on the science behind various agricultural methods. Of course, there are other ways of boosting nitrogen presence in the soil, such as rotating different types of crops across the years and seasons in the same field and using manure spreaders, but the extent of tillage exercised on the field throughout the seasons seem to serve the greatest influence. I also just learned that earthworms alone are responsible for turning up the top six inches of soil every 20 years! Applying sound scientific research as it relates to agriculture is crucial going forward in the 21st century. As the population booms and flocks to urban and suburban areas, we need ways to keep our farmland safe from erosion. We should consider introducing organic fertilizers at cheaper costs to farmers and otherwise providing economic incentives to steer away from over-tilling the soil. Please feel free to share your opinions. Thank you!
Resources:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib-economic-information-bulletin/eib70.aspx#.UvCwwPldW4k
http://web.missouri.edu/~jamesha/articles/cardoso-james_JAGE.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sourcewater/pubs/fs_swpp_fertilizer.pdf
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nitrogen-fertilizer-anniversary/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-till_farming
http://www2.kenyon.edu/projects/famfarm/environ/rotation/rotation.htm
http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y5146e/y5146e08.htm
http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/dont-till-your-garden.aspx
http://www.todayshomeowner.com/debate-over-organic-chemical-fertilizers/
http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/no-till-farming-zmaz84zloeck.aspx
I think this topic is very interesting because farming is how most of the world sustains itself. As technology and sciences improves, farming should be revolutionized into a method that feeds the most people in the most nutritious way while also being the kindest to the earth. Since farming relies heavily on the soil it resides in, it is important to take care of it. On the farm by farm level, there are many different choices to consider. Things like tradition, or what can be produced for the most profit are often weighed more heavily than what is the best method for the earth.
ReplyDeleteMonitoring the nitrogen levels and erosion is important for the future of farming because top soil is definitely a finite resource that takes ages to create. Being kind to our earth will result in a healthier future for the world.
I agree with Emma. This topic is extremely important and controversial because farming methods vary so much. There are situations where farmers use excessive fertilizers and exhaust all the natural nutrients in the soil in a very quick period of time and in some cases they use natural methods and the land last longer, yet providing a lower yield. I believe that farming methods should be chosen appropriately after the farmers have an accurate idea of what kind of land they are dealing with. New farming technology is helping farmers figure out what kind of land they are dealing with so that they know exactly what kind of crops and fertilizers they should use.
ReplyDeletehttp://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/modern-technology-and-farming/
I liked this post a lot because it brings up a controversy that we don't talk about as much as global warming or cloning perhaps.
ReplyDeleteThe point that I think is very intriguing is looking into the long runs of both sides of this debate. On both ends, the land is only going to last for so long so that crops can grow on it before it becomes overused or full of a lot of chemicals (from what it sounds like). I think the question that should really be asked is which one of these options can be afforded more for the future of our farming?
Also, with the new research into other debates like cloning, we should also consider while looking to the future whether we will keep up with this change in population by looking to other ways of producing agriculture. If they can clone sheep, what is keeping them from cloning vegetables as well? Could this be a viable answer to keeping up with population growth and maintaining the well being of our land for agriculture? Only time will tell, but it seems that the future should be where we look for the answers as to what farming methods should be used and their effects.