The Organic Environment

Environmental issues form part of the core issues debated between the supporters and opponents of organic farming. The pro-organic view states that conventional methods used in agricultural production are depleting natural resources at a fast rate. The supporters of organic farming have cited fresh water, fossil fuels and pollution (air, water, soil) as some of the resources being over exploited. They have also pointed out the use of large quantities of fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, the wastage of water due to high-volume irrigation, the high density of several waste products from operations, the heavy use of petrochemicals for long distance transport and farm machinery and other issues.

Meanwhile, critics of organic farming claim that such views are inaccurate and exaggerated. It must be noted that large-scale organic production have been criticized for using many of the same resources required in the conventional farming methods. For instance, organic farming uses farm machinery, as well as indoor equipment requiring artificial light and heat. Critics said that the use of such facilities in organic farming still contribute to the increase of energy consumption.

Sustainability

Organic farming and sustainable agriculture are usually treated as one. In reality, the two things are different from each other. Sustainability in the context of agriculture is a much broader concept, covering economic profitability, environmental health, economic and social equity. Meanwhile, in organic farming, one of the goals of sustainability is the achievement of a close balance between what is removed from the soil and what is returned to it, without depending much on external inputs.

At present, organic farming forms a small part of the agricultural sector. But with the growing popularity and size of organic farming, there is also an increasing need to tackle and introduce changes in the agribusiness. Likewise, large-scale considerations must also be made in order to deal with current issues concerning organic farming. It must be noted that the large-scale organic farms that use automation and machinery encounter the same sustainability issues faced by conventional farms.