1. Sustainable Agriculture

4. Strategies: Strategies take into account: Topography
soil characteristics
climate
Pests
local availability of inputs
individual grower’s goals.

5. Changes in agriculture have had many positive effects & reduced many risks in farming. But….it as had significant costs:
Groundwater contamination
Topsoil depletion
Decline of family farms
Continued neglect of living & working conditions for farm laborers
Increasing cost of production
Disintegration of economic & social conditions in rural communities

6. Groundwater Contamination…

8. Topsoil Depletion

10. Farm Laborers

11. Worker Living Places….

12. Efficient Use of Inputs….
Sustainable farmers maximize reliance on natural, renewable farm inputs with the goal to develop efficient, biological systems that don’t need high levels of inputs.

13. Efficient Use of Inputs
Approaches are least toxic, least energy intensive yet are productive & profitable.

14. Efficient Use of Inputs
Preventative strategies such as integrated pest management are used before using chemical inputs from any source.

15. Site, Species & Variety
Preventive strategies reduce inputs & help establish a sustainable production system.
Pest-resistant crops should be selected that are tolerant of existing soil or site conditions.
For site…soil type & depth, climate & topography should be taken account before planting. (Look at all the wineries in our area these days!)

16. Soil Management….
Proper soil, water & nutrient management help prevent pest problems that can occur due to crop stress & nutrient imbalance.
Impairing soil quality can result in needing more water, nutrients, pesticides and/or tilling fields to maintain crop.

17. In sustainable systems, soil is protected & worked to ensure its long-term productivity & stability.
Methods include:
Cover crops
Compost and/or manures
Reducing tillage
Maintaining soil cover with plants and/or mulches

19. Sustainable Farming…Pros
Growing a variety of crops, farmers spread out the economic risk & price changes due to supply & demand.
Crop rotation can suppress weeds & insect pests!
Planting pastures in rotation enhances soil quality & reduces erosion.

20. Growing crops on level land & pastures on steeper slopes reduce soil erosion

21. Sustainable Farming…Pros
Livestock manure contributes to soil fertility.
Livestock buffer the negative impacts of low rainfall periods by consuming crop “failures”

22. Sustainable Farming….Pros
Feeding & marketing are flexible animal production systems.
Can help farmers financially against trade & price fluctuations.
When used with crops, make more efficient use of farm labor & resources