scholarly journals The Profitability of Sustainable Agriculture on a Representative Grain Farm in the Mid-Atlantic Region, 1981–89: Comment

1995 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-137
Author(s):  
Wayne S. Roberts ◽  
Scott M. Swinton
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Computational Error ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Government Programs ◽  
Atlantic Region ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Low Input

A long term whole farm analysis comparing conventional and low-input farming systems is reviewed. A computational error led to the mistaken conclusion that conventional farming with government programs is less preferred by risk-averse farmers than the low input alternative. The greater income variance of conventional agriculture need not make it less preferred provided a higher mean income sufficiently offsets the higher variance.

scholarly journals The Profitability of Sustainable Agriculture on a Representative Grain Farm in the Mid-Atlantic Region, 1981–89

1990 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
James C. Hanson ◽  
Dale M. Johnson ◽  
Steven E. Peters ◽  
Rhonda R. Janke
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Government Programs ◽  
Atlantic Region ◽  
Net Worth ◽  
Low Input ◽  
Safety First

A long-term whole-farm analysis compared conventional and low-input farming systems. Data from a nine-year agronomic study at the Rodale Research Farm, Kutztown, Pennsylvania, were used to analyze profitability, liquidity, solvency, and risk on a representative commercial grain farm. Conventional and low-input farms participating in government programs are the most profitable scenarios, followed by conventional and low-input farms not participating in government programs. All farms increased their net worth. The low-input approach is advantageous for risk-averse farmers using a safety-first criterion.

scholarly journals Methane emissions of extensive grazing breeding herds in relation to the weaning and yearling stages in the Eastern Plains of Colombia

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Alberto Ramírez-Restrepo ◽  
Raúl Ramón Vera-Infanzón
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Uncertain Future ◽  
Animal Sciences

A substantial proportion of beef production in Colombia originates in its extensiveEastern Plains. However, in this scenario and in a global context, demand for cattleproduction increasingly requests that it satisfies social and environmental expectationsin addition to being economically efficient. A dataset containing five-year long recordsof cow-calf production systems collected at Carimagua Research Centre located in theMeta Department was retrospectively interrogated to understand the liveweight (LW)-derived flux matrix dynamics of methane (CH4) emissions. Estimated total CH4 (kg)emissions during the gestation period, were similar between conventional weaned (CW;37.86 ± 0.506 kg) and early weaned (EW; 37.47 ± 0.476 kg) cows. However, averagedover two lactations, total CH4 emissions were larger (p < 0.0001) in CW cows (38.67± 0.456 kg) than in their EW (14.40 ± 0.435 kg) counterparts. Total gas emissionsfrom birth to comparable commercial yearlings age were higher (p < 0.0001) for CW(43.11 ± 0.498 kg) calves than for EW (40.27 ± 0.472 kg) calves. It was concluded thatmid and long-term pastoral datasets and new concerns are well suited to understanddifferent contexts and adaptations to the contemporary weather conditions. Nevertheless,conventional farming systems will be less environmentally vulnerable if EWmanagement practices involve the strategic and temporal use of improved pastures. Theroles of veterinary medicine and animal sciences are briefly discussed in the context ofunprecedented climate variability to provide a guide to the uncertain future.

Soil quality and profitability of biodynamic and conventional farming systems: A review

1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P. Reganold
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Net Returns ◽  
Physical Chemical ◽  
Crop Root

AbstractBiodynamic and organic farming are similar in that both are ecologically oriented and do not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The main difference is that biodynamic farmers add eight specific amendments, called preparations, to their soils, crops, and composts. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in biodynamic farming practices and systems because they show potential for mitigating some detrimental effects of chemical-dependent conventional agriculture. Only a few studies examining biodynamic methods or comparing biodynamic farming with other farming systems have been published in the refereed scientific literature, especially in English. This paper summarizes data from previous studies, both published and unpublished (theses), that have compared biodynamic and conventional farming systems with respect to soil quality or profitability. These studies have shown that the biodynamic farming systems generally have better soil quality, lower crop yields, and equal or higher net returns per hectare than their conventional counterparts. Two studies that included organic management treatments with and without the preparations showed that the preparations improved biological soil properties and increased crop root growth. However, more research is needed to determine whether the preparations affect soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and crop growth and, if so, their mode of action.

scholarly journals Organic but Also Low-Input Conventional Farming Systems Support High Biodiversity of Weed Species in Winter Cereals

Agriculture ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Kleofas Berbeć ◽  
Mariola Staniak ◽  
Beata Feledyn-Szewczyk ◽  
Anna Kocira ◽  
Jarosław Stalenga
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Invasive Weed ◽  
Low Input ◽  
Winter Cereals ◽  
Conventional Farms

In recent years, the European Union has been paying particular attention to the problem of biodiversity loss. The possibilities of its assessment and conservation are included in the latest European Union (EU) policies and reflected in the European Biodiversity Strategy. The biodiversity of weeds in winter cereals in organic and conventional low-input farms in Eastern Poland was investigated during a 3-year period. Significantly more species and larger abundance were found in organic than in conventional farming systems. The biodiversity of these communities was described by Shannon’s diversity and Simpson’s dominance indices, which showed diversity to be well maintained in both farming systems; however, significantly higher Shannon’s index and significantly lower Simpson’s index values were observed in organic farms. Both farming systems were the mainstay of endangered and rare species, as well as some invasive weed species. Weed communities of organic farms were dominated mostly by Setaria pumila and Elymus repens, while conventional farms were dominated by Juncus bufonius and Setaria pumila. The study showed the importance of organic farming systems for biodiversity conservation. It was also shown that low-input (traditional) conventional farms are also beneficial for biodiversity conservation.

Growth of corn roots under low-input and conventional farming systems

1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 173-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Pallant ◽  
David M. Lansky ◽  
Jessica E. Rio ◽  
Lawrence D. Jacobs ◽  
George E. Schulera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Root Length ◽  
Root Length Density ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Root Production ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Low Input ◽  
Corn Roots

AbstractChanges in soil physical and chemical properties following conversion from conventional to low-input farming systems could alter root growth in com and hence aboveground growth and yield. The main hypothesis we tested is that low-input and conventional farming systems produce different amounts of corn roots. We compared low-input and conventional farming systems, row position (row and interrow), and soil depth for effects on root length density in a Comly silt loam (Typic Fragiudalf) at the Rodale Institute Research Center in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. On all sampling dates studied (two each in 1989 and 1990) root length density under low-input farming systems was significantly greater than under conventional farming systems. We used analysis of covariance to correct for soil factors that could not be directly controlled. Soil water and bulk density had no clear effect on root length density. In contrast, there was significant covariance of soil organic matter with root length density on two of the four sample dates. Root networks were more dense in soil pockets rich in organic matter for every farming system, row position, and depth. These findings indicate that low-input farmers may be manipulating root production of corn to allow com to absorb more nutrients and water when water in the topsail is limited.

scholarly journals Conventional agriculture and not drought alters relationships between soil biota and functions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Birkhofer ◽  
Andreas Fliessbach ◽  
María Pilar Gavín-Centol ◽  
Katarina Hedlund ◽  
María Ingimarsdóttir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Soil Biota ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Soil Biodiversity ◽  
Conventional Agriculture

AbstractSoil biodiversity constitutes the biological pillars of ecosystem services provided by soils worldwide. Soil life is threatened by intense agricultural management and shifts in climatic conditions as two important global change drivers which are not often jointly studied under field conditions. We addressed the effects of experimental short-term drought over the wheat growing season on soil organisms and ecosystem functions under organic and conventional farming in a Swiss long term trial. Our results suggest that activity and community metrics are suitable indicators for drought stress while microbial communities primarily responded to agricultural practices. Importantly, we found a significant loss of multiple pairwise positive and negative relationships between soil biota and process-related variables in response to conventional farming, but not in response to experimental drought. These results suggest a considerable weakening of the contribution of soil biota to ecosystem functions under long-term conventional agriculture. Independent of the farming system, experimental and seasonal (ambient) drought conditions directly affected soil biota and activity. A higher soil water content during early and intermediate stages of the growing season and a high number of significant relationships between soil biota to ecosystem functions suggest that organic farming provides a buffer against drought effects.

Sustainable Agriculture

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Mason
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Nutrient Loading ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Chemical Residues ◽  
Droughts And Floods ◽  
Farm Tourism

The technological revolution in farming practices has allowed us to clear and cultivate more land, grow plants and animals faster, and kill a greater variety of pests and diseases than ever before. Unfortunately, these efficiencies are proving to be unsustainable in the long term and have created problems such as soil structural decline, erosion, salinity, soil acidification, loss of fertility, nutrient loading of waterways, dams and a build up of chemical residues. This book is about foreseeing and understanding such problems and addressing them before it is too late. John Mason examines all these problems and explains the concepts and long-term benefits of sustainable farming systems such as permaculture, biodynamics, organic farming, agroforestry, conservation tillage, and integrated hydroculture. Sustainable Agriculture 2nd Edition also looks at important issues such as monoculture versus polyculture, the use of hybrids, selection criteria for plants and stock, integrated pest management and preparing a farm for droughts and floods. Other areas examined include diversifying into farm tourism and value adding before selling produce.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document