Sustainable agricultural operations and practices produce positive impacts on the environment, animals and people. Of course, it might not help everyone. Some farmers prefer not to use pesticides at all, says Hannah Wittman, academic director of the Center for Sustainable Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. They are committed to other ways to keep their crops healthy and, at the same time, benefit the environment.
There is increasing evidence that an intelligent integration of agricultural and animal production can make farms more efficient and profitable. Creating new and sustainable food systems that can sustain the world's population will mean rethinking the fundamentals of agriculture, from the resources used to the place where it is produced and its basic relationship with nature. Many consumers still think that organic food comes from small local farms, but most now it comes from faraway factory farms. However, by reshaping the future of food, it is a tool that, if used with care and made widely accessible, can contribute to a sustainable system that cares for both the planet and people.
By working with nature and not against it, farms can avoid harmful environmental impacts without sacrificing productivity or profitability.
The UCS has published a series of reports and summaries that provide recommendations for sustainable agriculture policies.
Vertical farms are also unlikely to grow commodities such as corn, rice and wheat, due to their comparatively low prices and large space requirements. In addition, the Agricultural Resilience Act (ARA) would invest in farmers' ability to promote soil health and thrive in the face of 21st century challenges, such as climate change. For example, an ongoing study at Iowa State University's Marsden Farm Research Center has demonstrated that complex crop rotation systems can outperform conventional monoculture practices in both yield and profitability.When it comes to agriculture, the most sustainable and productive systems are more diverse and complex like nature itself. At the same time, the conversion of land from wild spaces to agricultural spaces is causing the loss of biodiversity, since wild plants and animals have less space to live. While U.S. agricultural policy continues to devote most public resources to subsidizing the overproduction of corn and other staple crops, some encouraging steps have been taken toward sustainability.
Hence vertical farming, in which leafy green vegetables such as lettuce, kale and arugula are grown behind closed doors, without soil or sunlight.
