Module 12: Sustainable Agriculture

• fair trade: workers make living wage, share income/profits
• what did the emergence of the term sustainable coincide with?

  animal rights/welfare movement, population growth
• technical definitions of sustainability focus on resource sufficiency
• how is a sustainable practice determined under the technical definition?

  predicting how long the practice may be continues given the existing stock of resources
• label the critical control points

  A) rations: animals produce byproducts

  B) animal waste: use as fertilizer

  C) fertilizing soil

  D) feed: used for animals or as source of income

  
• what 3 things does a sociological approach to sustainability consider?

  society, economics, and environment
• what can lead to a culture collapse?

  unsustainable agriculture
• functional integrity: mechanisms that allow whole systems to regenerate themselves over time
• system level stability involves renewal of soil, water, genetic resources, and cultural identity
• what was a sustainable farm in the early 20th century?

  integrated crop and livestock operations
• what is a sustainable farm now?

  integrates crop and livestock operations between farmers rather than within the farm
• what are the main objectives of current farm integration?

  • meet societies current food and textile needs
  • not compromise the ability of future generation to meet their needs
• what are limitations to integrated animal selection?

  feed and forage sources, landscape, climate, management skill
• what is in example of integrated animal selection?

  goats are good at utilizing sparse environments and diverse landscapes
• feed lot: concentrated groups of animals close to market weight being fed together
• what are key issues of confined livestock operations?

  animal health, waste management (pollutants)
• what is the moral argument of confined livestock production?

  how to ensure semblance of normal activity
• how does sustainable agriculture integrate with society?

  change public policies, economic institutions, and social values
• how do governments impact sustainable agriculture?

  typically support large operations
• how can governments support sustainable agriculture?

  • modify tax and credit policies to support family farms
  • restructure commodity and price support programs
  • amend cosmetic standards
• how does land use impact sustainable agriculture?

  • escalating land values
  • farmland conversion patterns
• how does land use promote sustainable agriculture?

  proximity to residential areas encourages environmentally safe practices