The Future of Agriculture

Organic farms, CSA s and farmer's markets, what do those have to do with agriculture? Agriculture is huge factory farms and commercial dairies, right?

Well, not really.

A growing type of agriculture is organic farming. Organic farming is sustainable farming; it is farming without sacrificing land, health, the environment and other species. There are many organic farms all over these United States and most are family-run operations. Many offer summer internships to students interested in learning more about how organic works.

Cory Swingle of Montgomery, Ala said," I worked on a small local produce farm this summer and it was possibly the greatest experience of my life.Not only was it an honest and rewarding lifestyle, but it also showed me the importance of keeping agriculture real and true to its meaning and value, which is to sustain life and lead to whole living."

"We believe that farming organically is not only better for our environment, but also for the farmers themselves - our health is important, I know I'd want my children to be safe playing out in the field or garden, not to have to worry about what harmful chemicals may have been sprayed on them," says Amalie Hampshire of Hampshire Organic Farm and Bakery, in Kingston, Mich. "Also organic farming is, we feel, a more sustainable option, what with rotational grazing for our animals and our fields as well, and not using harmful synthetic chemicals."

According to the 2005 Whole Foods Market Organic Trend Tracker, "65 percent of Americans have tried organic foods and beverages, jumping from just over half (54percent) in both 2003 and 2004." When asked why she buys organic, Milena Soc, a student at the University of Michigan, replied, "You know what feels good? Buying lots of fresh produce and realizing how much good you're doing to the environment when you have no boxes and wrappers to throw away. And using your grocery bags as trash bags." There are many people that agree with Soc and are learning how to support local farmers.

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a new idea in farming, one that has been gaining momentum since its introduction to the United States in the mid-1980s. Many CSA's choose to be organic, either because organic produce is in high demand in their areas or because it is cheaper to not use chemicals on small fields. Christine Banks of Columbus, Ohio, said, "I am so excited, I just signed up with a local organic CSA for this growing season! I priced it out and it comes out basically to what I was spending each week at the farmer's market, plus everything will be organic."

Many farmers, like the Hampshires, visit local farmers markets to sell their produce and goods. " We have a lot of great customers who love our breads for what they are - and what they aren't as well. They're whole grain, mild sour dough, and yeast-free, organic, handmade artisan breads. I think they love seeing the bakers at the market; they get to meet us & ask us any questions they may have. The only poor reaction to our breads has been from consumers who just don't care for heavy, whole grain breads."

The laws concerning organic farming vary from state to state and country to country. In Michigan the Hampshire's have an inspector who comes out to their farm and makes a yearly inspection. "The inspector walks our fields and goes over all our paperwork, to make sure we're meeting all the state requirements," says Hampshire. "As to what is takes to be organic, you begin by having a three year transition of your farm, after that time if you meeting all the requirements, you may be qualified for organic certification. You also cannot use any synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or fungicides. If you're neighbors are conventional farmers, you must have at least a 25 foot buffer zone between you - in which you -the organic farmer - will not grow organic crops. You may of course plant and harvest crops from that space; they just will not be organic. To be organic, you must rotate your crops - usually it's a three or four year rotation - with soybeans, corn and then another grain crop (wheat, spelt, barley) or cover crop such as clover, either for harvest or plow down."

Strict regulations on organic produce are what give the organic consumers peace of mind. "Organic food is not a marketing ploy. It's growing foods the way they were meant to be grown in a sustainable way...no chemicals, fertilizers, genetic modifications, growing stuff bigger and faster and on a more industrial level...that's how we in America ruined agriculture." Emily Marti of Roberts, Wisc. said. Hampshire agrees "At present, organics are growing hugely in the marketplace of America. I think our neighbors are starting to think maybe we're not so crazy as they may have at first thought - when organic started to come into the mainstream in the 80's. Mostly I think our neighbors just look at us as farmers, and it's been very interesting as the market has grown in the past 20 years - now most of our neighbors are organic as well.