Organic Farming, Opinions

There are a number of arguments fore and against the use of organic agriculture. Today at work, a young man who comes from a farming family in the Northwest of England said that organic farming doesn't work here. This reaction is typical to 'modern farmers' all over the globe, and in one sense that young man was correct, but only in the sense that anyone attempting, for instance, Integrated Pest Management and surrounded by neighbours who control pests with chemicals, the efforts of the farmer in I.P.M. would be hampered because the pest predators would perish if the chemical spray drifted over. Another set back would be that pests would migrate to the crops that are free of chemicals, and even if there are good predator numbers, the pest numbers would be too great. So this is why entire areas would have to be dedicated 'chemical free'. My opinion is that organic agriculture is the only sustainable way forward. But my opinion is only my opinion. There are others who share this opinion, but the majority of farmers who control the land are in the business of survival or profit. They are the ones who have to be convinced and no amount of yelling and screaming will hold with them if money is to be lost, or yields reduced during the transitional phases. For them it is too big a gamble because their entire livelihood would rest upon such a decision. They would rather stick to what they know works, and that's the end of it. The answer is to prove beyond doubt that becoming fully organic actually works, and if there are losses during the transitional phase from non-organic to organic, then assistance should be given.

I also believe that the future of food production will rely upon more sustainable use of land. The world, as always, and possibly even more rapidly, is changing. The raw materials from which fertilisers are made are not in endless supply, toxic chemicals and rapidly expanding populations continue to pollute the air and water and soils, yet we bumble aimlessly along, completely unaware of the long term and only living for today. We say we want a better world for our children and so many of us do, but some do not mean what they say because they are blissfully unaware of the implications and others just don't know any better.

We hope that the next generation and the next and the next will be more aware..............