The above images, captures the goal of organic agriculture in a frame. Healthy and vibrant food production is a mainstay for organic farming. Environmental preservation another piller of organic techniques, represented by the vibrant greens and rolling hills of the top image.
The History of Modern Organic Agriculture:
An Oveview
Traditional agricultural systems were designed to manipulate and abuse the environment as they wished and their fundamental practices required extreme mechanization, industrialization and chemical-intensive processes. Obvious environmental degradation and growing public concern regarding the health risks associated with pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers lead to the drastic need for food production reform and the organic movement of the 1960s emerged. The organic movement’s principle philosophy of “back-to-the-land” was centrally focused on drawing back agriculture practices to within the realm of nature’s constraints. Organic practices focused on creating a holistic, personal, responsible, safe and reliable system of food production.
Understanding the history of the organic movement also requires understanding the debate and controversy associated with organic techniques. Alongside the development of the organic farming movement was an evolving controversy. Organic farming began as a reaction against the practices of industrial agriculture before itself growing into a new industrial organic. With this extreme change the debate shifted direction, asking new questions about the future of our food sources.
There are lesser-known sustainable methods of agriculture that share many of the same underlying principles as organic farming but offer an even more holistic and sustainable framework that can help shape the future of sustainable farming. One method is Rudolf Steiner’s theory of Biodynamic agriculture, which aims to address the current downfalls of organic farming. Steiner’s philosophical and agricultural approach to farming sought to treat the entire farm as an organism; the requirements for Biodynamic certification go well beyond that of organic certification. Today in the United States, Biodynamic products, especially wine, are gaining popularity, but this method began development in Europe as far back as the 1920s.
The history of food production systems in the U.S. has proved to be filled with public opinion, politics and controversy over current and changing techniques. Understanding the history and controversy of the organic farming movement will lead to the design of a more sustainable agriculture system in the future.
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