Page 71 - Introduction to Agriculture by: Aqleem Abbas

Introduction to Agriculture Notes prepared by: Aqleem Abbas

Benefits

For consumers, the most obvious benefit of organic farming is health-related. Studies show that organically grown food contains
higher levels of essential minerals than conventionally grown food. In addition, organic food is free from genetically modified
organisms (GMOs), hormones, and antibiotics, and has little or no pesticide residue.

Longer-term benefits of organic farming include the preservation and enhancement of soil, increasing the likelihood that it will
continue to produce quality food for future generations. Organic farming encourages healthy populations of beneficial insects that
keep destructive insects under control. It also helps preserve aquatic life and clean water by minimizing the flow of toxic
pesticides into streams, rivers, and lakes.

Critics of organic farming argue that the method is less profitable, requiring more labor and management skill than a
conventional farm. Savings on pesticides, fertilizers, and fuels, however, usually offset the cost of the extra labor. And the
environmental benefits of organic farming represent long-term savings, not just for the organic farmer, but also for future
generations.

History

Prior to the invention of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, all farming was “organic” by definition. In the modern age, one of the
first proponents of organic farming was the British agriculturalist Sir Albert Howard, who, in his 1940 book An Agricultural
Testament, advocated farming without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. British agriculturist Lady Eve Balfour was also
involved in the 20th-century organic farming movement. Her 30-year research farm, the Haughley Experiment, was the site of
numerous experiments comparing organic and conventional farming. Balfour’s book, The Living Soil (1943), corroborated
Howard’s studies and documented the importance of healthy soil for farming. The work of Howard and Balfour inspired
American researcher and publisher J. I. Rodale to found Organic Farming and Gardening magazine in 1942 (now called Organic
Gardening), which educates the public about organic techniques. Rodale also established the nonprofit Soil and Health
Foundation research center (now called the Rodale Institute).

Rachel Carson, a marine biologist with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, added momentum to the organic farming
movement with her book Silent Spring (1962), which chronicles the harmful effects of pesticides on wildlife. Also in the United
States, Helen and Scott Nearing pioneered in organic farming. Their book Living the Good Life (1954) and their numerous other
publications promoted organic farming and helped inspire the back-to-the-land movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

Hydroponics

Introduction

Hydroponics, term applied to cultivation of plants in nutrient solutions without use of soil. Soilless growing of cultivated plants
began in the 1930s as an outgrowth of the culture techniques used by plant physiologists in plant nutrition experiments. More
recent successful methods of soilless growth differ in particulars but have two common features: (1) nutrients are supplied in
liquid solutions; and (2) plants are supported by porous material, such as peat, sand, gravel, or glass wool, that acts as a “wick” in
relaying the nutrient solution from its source to the roots.