BIO BLOG.

Industrial Agriculture vs Sustainable Agriculture @ Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Today farmers can now produce crops and livestock efficiently due to the large amount of growth in the agricultural industry. A form of farming where human labour is substituted by machines is called industrial agriculture. The number of animals limited to an area is usually bigger than a regular farm as the goal of industrial farming is to receive more benefits for less labour.

Industrial agriculture can be fast but it can also affect out environment as it uses large amounts of water, fossil fuels, and pesticides. topsoil erosion, soil depletion, and reduction of diversity could be some of the events that may happen to our environment.

It has been said that industrial agriculture is one of the leading factors of water pollution in the United States. Water pollution is commonly found in these types of farms is the result of the unfair storage of animal waste. Waste tank are able to hold millions of gallons of manure and urine .
Though it seems that this is an easy method, the consequences of collecting wrongly can be bad. These waste tanks can be easily leak and storms can cause them to explode easily. Manure can be up to 160 times more toxic than municipal waste, so it could have a huge effect on waterways. Harmful bacteria could be part of water supplies which we use everyday

Not only does industrial agriculture affect us humans, but also animals. Livestock, mainly cows, pigs and chickens are placed in small areas which could be filthy and cause diseases such as mad cow. Farmers usually do not care about the health of their livestock but how much weight they have.
Artificial health methods are usually spread to maintain the health of the animals.

Unlike industrial, sustainable agriculture is healthy for both animals and consumers, benefits farmers, and respects animals and doesn't harm the environment. What is taken out of the environment is put back in through conservation and preservation. Water and soil can be replenished for the use of future generations. Sustainable agriculture also uses less pesticide and less chemicals. Not using sustainable agricultural methods would be a big mistake knowing what industrial agriculture can do to us, the animals and environment.
This method of farming can be the new normal for all developed countries, and this can end up benefiting the entire world.

Reference
http://www.sustainabletable.org/intro/comparison/
http://scienceblogs.com/worldsfair/2009/05/industrial_agriculture_v_susta.php
http://www.indigodev.com/Susagr.html
http://www.economywatch.com/agriculture/types/industrial.html

Comments
Vanessa Lee

▲ back to the top | comment | 0 comment(s)