sustainable ag week 1

agriculture

the science and practice of growing plants, raising animals, and producing food, fiber, and other useful materials

Sustainable Agriculture

Agriculture that meets the needs of society without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

three goals of sustainable ag from SARE

Profit over the long term

Stewardship over the land, air and water

Quality of life for farmers, ranchers and their communities

Tripple bottom line

profit, people, planet

definition of sustainable ag from USDA

An integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will…satisfy human and fiber needs, enhance environmental quality, efficiently use nonrenewable, sustain economic viability of farms and enhance quality if life

the definiton of what is sustainable for a farm is one thing

paths to sustainability

intensification and diversification

land sparing

Use intensive agriculture to produce more on less land so that some could be set aside to conserve biodiversity

land sharing

Use low-input methods to grow crops and raise animals, while conserving biological diversity on the same land

cover crops

Plants that are not harvested but rather seeded and grown to provide benefits

Community supported ag

A production and marketing model whereby consumers buy shares of a farm’s harvest in advance, they receive regular distrabutiuoins of the farms bounty throughout the season, shares risks and rewards

Bioenergy

Renewable energy derived from biological sources, to be used for heat, electricity, or vehicle fuel

Biofuel

Liquid fuel derived from biomass. Specific type of bioenergy

(e.g., ethanol and biodiesel)

Greenwashing

Disinformation disseminated by an organization to present an environmentally responsible public image

Agroecosystem

an agricultural system of organisms and their physical environment within a certain physical area

Ecozone

a broad geographic area encompassing a distinctive pattern of climate conditions, type of landscape, and species of plants and animals

food system

Agroecosystems plus systems of food distribution and consumption

Ecoregion

areas where the ecosystems are similar (ex. Cornell campus, Ithaca - Northern Allegheny plateau)

Resilience

the ability of that system to remain viable when affected by adverse forces, such as pest infestations, environmental degradation, economic downturns, etc.