5.6 Pest Control

What is Industrial agriculture?

Industrial agriculture is applying the use of mechanization and standardization into agriculture

• Energy Subsidy: the fossil fuel energy and human energy input per calorie of food produced

• for example, it make take 20 kg grains of rice to make 1 kg of beef. So meat takes A LOT of energy

• most of the energy subsidies in agriculture are in the form of fossil fuel used to produce fertilizers and pesticides, and to harvest and prepare food for transport.

• we have been doubling the average US diet so now the energy level used has doubled

Undernutrition is not getting enough calories where Malnutrition is getting the wrong type of calories

Pest Control Methods

physical pest control: remove the pest physically. high advantages of this method since there is little to no disadvantage. its incredibly low cost and easy to do. Some examples are fencing, traps, picking out the weeds

biological pest control: thing involves bringing something, another organism usually, to kill/remove the pest. Some examples are the moths that got brought in the kill the invading species of cacti. King toads were brought in to kill the invasive species of insects in Australia, however that turned out to be a fail. This is an example of how it can have its cons. It can easily get out of control and introduce a new invasive species

chemical pest control: this is the most effective method. A substance made of synthetic/natural is used to get rid of the pet.

• pesticides, herbicides, fungicides

• Selective pesticides- only affect a certain type/range of organisms

• broad spectrum- kills big range of organisms. There is a problem with broad spectrum pesticides. This problem is that since they persistent they stay in the soil, plant, and then later into our bodies and take A LOT of time to break down.

• pesticide resistance: a trait possessed by certain organisms that are exposed to a pesticide and survive

• pesticide treadmill: the cycle of individuals becoming pesticide resistant and then new or stronger pesticides being used

• however pesticides can kill non target organisms and can affect those who have exposure

Genetically Modified Organisms: a biological control example.

• bt spores - can be sprayed directly onto plants

• genetically engineered- uses recombinant DNA produced from multiple organisms

What are the pros?

1. provides a greater yield

2. greater food quality

3. reduction in pesticides

4. reduction of world hunger

5. increased profits

6. decreases poverty

7. conserves water

8. more nutritious crops

What are the cons/risks?

• concerns that GMOs will interbreed

• precautionary principle

5.7 Meat Production

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs):

• used as a quick easy way to get livestock together and ready for slaughter

• crowded small areas

• animals are fed grains or food that isn’t as sustainable as grass

• Feedlots, which is another name for CAFOs, generate A LOT of waste which can contaminate ground and surface water

• the use of these are expensive

• leads to air pollution and soil structure issues

• overgrazing! - connects to tragedy of the commons

• concern of antibiotics since so close together in the feedlots

• the majority of greenhouse gas emissions come from here

Free range grazing:

• allows animals to graze on grass during their entire lifecycle

• meat from free range animals tend to be antibiotic free and also lack the other chemicals used in feedlots

• the organic waste of the animals are used as fertilizer

• require large areas of land and the meat produced from these are more expensive for consumers

overgrazing: when too many animals feed on a particular area of land. this can cause loss of vegetation, soil erosion, and it can cause desertification

Ecological Footprint:

• eating lower on the food chain is more energy efficient and reduces our ecological footprint

• a footprint of land area, water weight, CO2 equivalents all contribute

Reducing Meat Consumption:

• decreases water demand

• decreases energy demand

• decreases air pollution

• decreases demand for chemicals

• improves soil conditions

If we consume less meat the methane, CO2, and N20 emissions will decrease. It will conserve water, reduce the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, and improve topsoil

5.14 Integrated Pest Management

IPM: a combination of methods used to effectively control pest species while minimizing the disruption to the environment. intercropping, crop rotation, and natural/biological methods

• reduces risk of pesticides

• can be complex and expensive

• crop rotation: process of alternating the types of crops grown from one season to the next. This can boost soil nitrogen. It also breaks pest and disease cycles seen in continuous crops.

• intercropping: planting alternating bands of different crops. This can lead to cover crops which can be used to decrease wind erosion

  Overall effects of IPM- reduction in pesticide applications and yield improvements.

5.15 Sustainable Agriculture

Soil Conservation: the goal is to prevent soil erosion. different methods of soil conservation include contour plowing, windbreaks, perennial crops, terracing, no-till agriculture, and strip-cropping.

rotational grazing: regular rotation of livestock between pastures in order to avoid overgrazing in a particular area.

• Intercropping

• crop rotation

• agroforestry: trees and vegetables are intercropped

• contour plowing: plowing and harvesting are done parallel to the topographic contours of the land

• no-till agriculture: farmers do not turn the soil in between seasons as a result of reducing topsoil erosion (eliminates tilling)

• perennial plant: lives for many years

• conservation tilling: reduces the amount of plowing, since it leavesfar soil surfaces bare and exposed to wind

• farmers can leave crop residue behind keeping the soil covered

• shelterbelts: rows of trees/shrubs that serve as windbreaks

• the trees can also provide habitiat + fruits

Organic Agriculture:

• production of crops in a way that sustains and improves the oil and this is done without the use of synthetic pesticides

• use ecological principles and work with natural systems

• keep organic matter and nutrients in soil and on the farm

• avoid the use of synthetic substances

• maintain soil bt increasing soil mass, biological activity, beneficial chemical properties

decrease adverse environmental effects of agriculture

• has a big obstacle- expense

But how do you attain sustainable agriculture?

• reduction of fossil fuels and pollution are seen as key goals

• increase organic farming

• improve technologies

• use GMO more

Seed banks: institutions that preserve seed types to preserve this genetic diversity