Organic farming efficiency
Recently, I've come across several people who have the impression that organic farming is much less efficient than conventional farming (e.g. here). Many smart people, including Ph.D.'s here in Berkeley, take this for granted, but I have never seen the data to convince me that organic farming is so much less efficient than conventional farming.
Where I live, there are hard-core organic farms, as well as conventional super-farms. Local organic farms in the Central Valley compete directly with agro-giants to sell all sorts of foods, from grapes to garlic, avocados to artichokes. So despite the strong "anti-organic" sentiment that I held when I arrived here, I have slowly begun to question whether or not large conventional monocultures are the way to go.
Just as a bit of background, I went to an ag school for college; I graduated from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. I'm comfortable thinking about the business of agriculture, and I'm also a biochemist, so I'm not exactly a grungy, anti-biotech hippy. Anyhow, let me break down the chief reasons why I think the conventional wisdom is wrong about organic farming.
Myth 1: Organic farming is inefficient while conventional farming is a modern marvel.
The data shows otherwise. This article in the journal Science [subscription required], shows that organic farming is 80% as efficient in terms of crop per acre, and it is overall more energy efficient than conventional farming, owing to reduced fertilizer, energy and pesticide usage. Another study from Cornell researchers concluded that crop yields from organic and conventional farms were identical, while organic farming resulted in better soil quality at the end of the study. Therefore, if there are differences in the crop yields between conventional and organic farms, they are minimal and inconsistent. Broad claims that organic farming is significantly less efficient are simply untrue, according to the scientific literature.
Myth 2: Conventional farming really doesn't use that much pesticide.
The National Academies, the scientific advisers to the U.S. President, have published a review, entitled The Future Role of Pesticides in U.S. Agriculture (which you can read online!). In 1997, over 567 million pounds of pesticide active ingredient were used on U.S. crops (p. 46), which corresponds to over two pounds of pesticide per person, given the U.S. population in 1997. That's over two pounds of solid pesticide active ingredient per person per year.
Over 60% this pesticide usage comes in the form of herbicides. The clever part about organic farming isn't the patchouli smoke blown at the butter lettuce every morning. The clever part of organic farming is that there are physical methods of preventing growth of contaminating weeds, rather than chemical methods involving herbicides. Instead of spraying atrazine and glyphosate on an acre of lettuce seed, the lettuce is grown from individual sprouts protected from weeds in a greenhouse until they have grown enough to be ready for planting in the earth. Once planted, they have a great head-start relative to any weeds, so few weeds gain the upper hand. In other words, it's similar to the way you'd do it at home, since few would want to go spray atrazine all around their backyard lettuce.
Similar techniques exist for other plants. The organic methods are very simple, and they're not hippy magic. At its heart, organic farming is simply about using physical means to prevent crop failures, rather than chemical means. And although this currently requires more labor, it results in reduced pesticide and energy usage, as well as reduced runoff of synthetic chemicals into important water supplies.
If anyone has evidence that conventional farming really is significantly more efficient, please let me know!
Comments
An interesting reference - did you see the mail it brought in, though? There are still a number of people in the field who think that widespread organic farming would be troublesome:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sci;298/5600/1889b
And the topic is still being debated:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sci;307/5714/1410b
Here's a recent paper which gives organic farming some support, but mentions weed-control problems as well:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sci;307/5714/1410b
Posted by: Derek Lowe | June 2, 2008 10:26 AM
Hi Derek, thanks for your response! I appreciate the links... the letters to Science offer nice insight into the opinions and ideas about organic farming amongst intelligent people. However, I'd really like to find some quality (peer-reviewed) science that shows data on economics and energy, or crop yields, etc.
Surprisingly, I have a hard time finding anything (beyond what I quote above). I'm stunned that there hasn't been more good science on this topic, considering the broad interest that it obviously generates!
P.S. I would like to check out the last link, but it didn't come through. Looks like the second link got pasted twice...
Posted by: hch | June 2, 2008 10:44 AM
Hi there,Really nice job,There are many people searching about that now they will find enough sources by your tips,Also looking forward for more tips about that
Posted by: Careprost | August 12, 2011 4:01 AM
No one can succeed without any hard work. Karl Max was successful, because he spent more than 30 years writing the book "Communist Manifesto"; Tomas Edison succeeded, because he had experimented thousands of times to find the best material for lights. Every success calls for hard work. If you want to suc-ceed, work hard first.
Posted by: DC Hats | September 4, 2011 11:50 PM
It is a very good blog, I like it very much, and I believe that many more people will get help from here.
Posted by: belstaff leather jacket | October 23, 2011 1:23 AM
It is a very good blog, I like it very much, and I believe that many more people will get help from here.
Posted by: belstaff leather jacket | October 23, 2011 1:24 AM
It is a very good blog, I like it very much, and I believe that many more people will get help from here.
Posted by: belstaff trialmaster | October 23, 2011 1:28 AM
Thank u for your sharing.Your blog has a unique feature that can make the people who reads become happy.After reading your blog,I feel happy.
linmei/comment201111
Posted by: pandora jewellery | November 7, 2011 6:14 PM
Your ideas are too great. You analyze the problem from the point of view of new and original., From your point of view I learned many things. I quite agree with what you talk about. I hope I can continue to study with you and know more novel ideas from you.Thanks for your sharing.linmei/comment201111
Posted by: UGG Boots Outlet | November 10, 2011 5:25 PM
Thank you for sharing to us.Please one more post about that..This is really a fascinating blog, lots of stuff that I can get into. One thing I just want to say is that your Blog is so perfect!linmei/comment201111
Posted by: UGG Boots Outlet | November 11, 2011 6:27 PM
This is a wonderful content. I will bookmark this site and visit again.linmei/comment201111
Posted by: vans shoes | November 15, 2011 6:54 PM
This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for
free. I enjoy seeing websites that understand the value of providing a prime
resource for free. I truly loved reading your post. Thanks!linmei/comment201111
Posted by: oakley sunglasses | November 17, 2011 12:45 AM
It is just the topic i was looking for. Thanks very much for sharing this interesting post. Your information about Continuous Improvement. A Dream Come True give me a lot of knowledge. I’ve already bookmark Your site to my all account. I will be returning. Thanks linmei/comment201111
Posted by: oakley sunglasses | November 21, 2011 5:44 PM
big thanks for shared.
It is very nice site. Thanks for sharing nice information with us.
Thanks for shaing This is great, nice post! very interesting and informative,
Thanks for sharing this and I look forward to more great things in the future.linmei/comment201111
Posted by: Pandora Jewellery | November 22, 2011 5:36 PM
Very happy to see your article, I am very much to like and agree with your point of view. Thank you for sharing. linmei/comment201111
Posted by: UGG Boots Outlet | November 23, 2011 6:33 PM
Superb work! This info will be very useful for a lot of people. I love the blog very much. Thanks for sharing the info guys.. Thanks linmei/comment201111
Posted by: cheapest polo | November 24, 2011 9:55 PM
I enjoy reading the report too. It′s easy to understand that a journey like this is the biggest event in ones life.linmei/comment201111
Posted by: oakley sunglasses | November 25, 2011 7:45 PM
This is a great topic, and provide in-depth information. Thank you and come here again and again.linmei/comment201111
Posted by: nfl football jerseys cheap | November 28, 2011 12:21 AM
Thank u for your sharing.Your blog has a unique feature that can make the people who
reads become happy.After reading your blog,I feel happy.linmei/comment201111.
Posted by: GHD New Wave Limited Edition | November 28, 2011 12:22 AM
This is a good blog message, I will keep the post in my mind. If you can add more video and pictures can be much better. Because they help much clear uderstanding.linmei/comment201112
Posted by: vans shoes | November 30, 2011 10:21 PM
Superb work! This info will be very useful for a lot of people. I love the blog very much. Thanks for sharing the info guys. Thanks! linmei/comment201112
Posted by: vans shoes | December 5, 2011 7:29 PM
Nice information and facts! I have been seeking for everything like this for some time currently. Many thanks!linmei/comment201112
Posted by: hermes bags | December 6, 2011 10:50 PM
I love the daily blogs, brilliant. You've inspired me. I've started blogging again. Thank you!linmei/comment201112
Posted by: cheap uggs | December 9, 2011 5:13 PM
What a fun pattern! It's great to hear from you and see what you've sent up to. All of the projects look great! You make it so simple to this.Thanks!
Posted by: uggs clearance | December 19, 2011 10:20 PM
Wow, nice post,there are many person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post.Thank you for sharing to us.Please one more post about that..
Posted by: uggs outlet | December 20, 2011 9:50 PM
Very interesting post. Thanks again.. Please Keep it Up!!!caiyifang/comment201201
Posted by: oakley glasses | January 1, 2012 10:05 PM
ny person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post.Thank y
Posted by: Nike Air Shoes | January 3, 2012 8:43 PM
Almost inevitably, this process leads to politicians having to field some uncomfortable questions from BBC interviewers.
Posted by: Friday | January 5, 2012 1:14 AM
Howdy. I treasured shed that you speedy observe to state this thank you. For a nice and watching your site for your 30 days or possibly even longer and now have plucked upwards some sort of pile for sound details as well as liked exactly how you might have organized your website.
Posted by: Tiffany Outlet | January 5, 2012 5:23 PM
I appreciate you and blogs. This is we the feeling of the life. They therefore very suitable for you to say. I'm sure you have already come to so many people agree with, and I thank you for their blog.
Posted by: Christian Louboutin Cheap | January 6, 2012 6:09 PM
Thank you for sharing to us.Please one more post about that
Posted by: Hermes Birkin Bag | January 10, 2012 1:16 PM
Good article! Master, you are so tired!
Posted by: pandora armband | January 11, 2012 12:28 AM
pellet mill features
Posted by: pellet mill features | January 12, 2012 7:03 PM
you taught me a lot. thank you . you are my best friend forever!
Posted by: pandora schmuck günstig | January 12, 2012 7:26 PM