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Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Farming

It is possible to farm using methods that are better for the environment. For example, allowing animals to grass feed (graze in pastures) can actually improve the soil. First, manure fertilizes the pastures. And, second, if farmers were to switch from grain-based or confined feeding to grass-feeding systems, they would save on farm equipment and fuel and prevent soil erosion by not cultivating fields.

There are other, more humane farming methods. Organic farming doesn't use synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or employ veterinary drugs except to treat specific, observed illnesses in animals. Sustainable agriculture is environmentally conscious farming that uses ecologically sensitive farming methods and food processing systems that ensure our ability to feed future generations.

Farmers who use organic and sustainable methods are careful not to overwork their land or rob the soil of its fertility. They use rotational grazing techniques that circulate animals between pastures, and they match the number of animals they raise with the land's carrying capacity (the number of animals a pasture can hold without environmental damage). They practice crop rotation, plant cover crops to restore nutrients to fields and reduce soil erosion, and use compost or decayed organic material as fertilizer.

Choosing products from animals raised under more humane, organic, and sustainable systems will protect our country's environment. In your own neighborhood, buying locally raised products will not only support smaller family farms but also foster a sense of community and environmental concern. As the demand for humanely produced food increases, producers around the world will find it profitable to turn to humane, organic, and sustainable agriculture.

Eat Thoughtfully, Buy Locally

Consumers do have a choice when it comes to buying food; they can choose foods produced by large agribusinesses or they can choose food produced by local farmers who adopt sustainable and humane practices. Purchasing from the former encourages corporate farms, those massive federally subsidized operations that have a documented history of poor animal welfare, while purchasing from the latter encourages family farms, rural communities, and humane policies. Purchasing from the latter may also mean fresher, tastier food.

The Ecology of Eating

• Support local family farms. Buy your food from farmers who raise their crops sustainably, following agricultural practices that are good for the land, the environment, and the farm animals. With your ongoing support, the farmers will be able to continue to provide you with fresh, flavorful food while improving their way of life. The sustainable farmers will also help to improve the environment, which will improve your quality of life.

• Discover just what kinds of foods are available in your area, and ask for changes when appropriate. Look for farmers' markets and food cooperatives. Ask the managers of cooperatives, supermarkets, and restaurants to offer eggs from free-ranging hens, meat and dairy products from humanely raised animals, and produce from local family farms. Perhaps you and your neighbors can start a community supported agricultural (CSA) plan, in which a group of people contracts to buy produce and/or animal products directly from a local farmer through shares.

• Purchase fruits and vegetables in season. Most of the produce found in supermarkets today lack flavor due to early picking for transportation across the country or from other countries. Local and regional farmers can supply you with fresh fruits and vegetables a good part of the year.

• If you wish to eat animal products, ask the farmers how they raise their animals. Practices such as pasture-raised or free-range chickens and hogs, along with grass-fed beef and dairy cattle, are better for the environment and improve the living conditions for the animals.

• Be aware of the true cost of "cheap food" from large agribusinesses. A great deal of conventionally grown food from corporate farms is subsidized by the government, in the form of price supports or direct payments or tax breaks.