Soil, Agriculture, and the Future of Food Chapter 7 Soil, Agriculture, and the Future of Food

We raise seafood with aquaculture World wild fish populations are plummeting Increased demand and technology Aquaculture: raising aquatic organisms in a controlled environment Open-water pens or land- based ponds The fastest-growing type of food production Most widespread in Asia

Aquaculture’s benefits and drawbacks Reduces pressure on overharvested wild fish Uses fewer fossil fuels, is safer, and produces more fish than commercial fishing Drawbacks: Lots of waste produced Uses grain, which affects food supplies for people Fish meal is made from wild ocean fish Escaped fish introduce disease or outcompete wild fish

Organic agriculture Sustainable agriculture keeps high crop yields, minimizes resource use, and decreases environmental impacts Organic agriculture: uses no synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, or herbicides Organic Food Production Act (1990) establishes national standards for organic products The USDA issued criteria in 2000 by which food could be labeled organic California, Washington, Texas passed stricter guidelines for labeling

Benefits and costs of organic farming Farmers have lower input costs, enhanced income, reduced chemical pollution and soil degradation Obstacles include the risks and costs of switching to new methods The main obstacle to consumers is the higher price But many are willing to pay the price Worldwide, sales surpassed $54 billion

Organic agriculture is booming U.S. consumers spent $24.8 billion on organic food in 2009 U.S. land devoted to organic agriculture has quadrupled since the mid- 1990s

Governments can support organic farming The U.S. 2008 Farm Bill gives $112 million over 5 years for organic agriculture It helps defray certification costs In 1993, the European Union started supporting farmers financially during conversion to organic farming Reduced inputs and higher market prices will make it as profitable as conventional methods

Locally supported agriculture is growing Sustainable agriculture reduces fossil fuel use from long-distance transport of products The average U.S. food product travels 1,400 miles Farmers’ markets: provide fresh, locally grown food Provide organic items and unique local varieties Community-supported agriculture (CSA) Consumers pay farmers in advance for produce Consumers get fresh food Farmers get a guaranteed income

Conclusion Industrialized agriculture has had substantial negative environmental consequences To support 9 billion humans, we must shift to sustainable agriculture to prevent further land degradation Biological pest control, organic agriculture Pollinator protection, preservation of native crops Aquaculture Careful, responsible genetic modification of food 16

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