Sustainable Agriculture

In my opinion, sustainable agriculture is farming that does not harm the soil, water, or air and provides food for society. It means farming in harmony with the environment. According to the article Exploring Sustainability in Agriculture, the primary goals of sustainable agriculture are, "Providing a more profitable farm income, promoting environmental stewardship, including: protecting and improving soil quality, reducing dependence on non-renewable resources, ... and minimizing adverse impacts on safety, wildlife, water quality and other environmental resources ..." (2).
Sustainable agriculture is very important because these strategies will help to sustain food production for society in an environmentally friendly manner. These strategies will help to reduce soil erosion and replace nutrients to the soil. They will cut the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower fossil fuel and water usage, and increase farm profits. Some strategies of sustainable agriculture are crop rotation, pasture rotation, organic agriculture, conservation tillage and no-tillage, growing cover crops, integrated pest management, and compost and manure usage.
The consumer can contribute to the sustainability of agriculture by choosing to purchase products that have been produced using sustainable agriculture methods. Produce can be purchased at farmers' markets, pick-your-own farms and roadside stands. Consumers can participate in community and school gardens and buy organic produce. Consumers can also seek alternative sources for buying meat, join food co-ops, and patronize restaurants that serve food that has been produced using sustainable methods. The consumer has a wide variety of ways to make their choice known and has the final say in how their food is produced. I believe sustainable agriculture strategies should be practiced by everyone that produces food for themselves and society.