Demand is on the rise for organic produce. A survey by the Organic Trade Association found that sales revenue from organic food in the U.S. had exploded to $25 billion by 2009 – twenty-five times that of 1990.
High demand requires high efficiency. But organic farmers can’t use the technologies common to conventional agriculture – like chemical pesticides, herbicides and genetic engineering – to increase yields. As such, there’s a misconception that they stubbornly shun technology, preferring age-old tradition over modern methods. But that’s not the case. Through recent technological developments, these farmers can use their understanding of natural processes – the mating habits of pests, for example – to optimize yields. The surprising results can make you wonder where to draw the line between technology and nature.
Organic Solutions: Software and Beyond
Jeff Birkby, Outreach Director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, recognizes the broad potential of technology applied to organic farming: “To me, technology is neutral; it’s neither good nor bad. It’s how it’s applied that makes the difference.”
Jeff’s got a point. I began researching this article with software in mind because, unlike chemical and pesticide applications, data management tools don’t come in contact with the crops, making them perfectly acceptable for organic farming. And the systems are certainly there – Farmigo for farm business data management is one example. The Georgia Institute of Technology is even developing a new user interface for soil moisture data software.
As I researched, I became fascinated with how organic farmers can apply specialized technology in their fields rather than just in the office. Unlike their industrial agriculture counterparts, organic farming technologies cooperate with ecosystems to benefit crops.
The Trade-offs of Technology
Pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers save time and labor in conventional farming practices, but the resulting efficiency comes at a cost to the environment. The production, transport, and use of these synthetic substances threatens water quality, destroys habitat and leaves a sinister carbon footprint. Among other effects, fertilizer runoff produces algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico, draining oxygen from waterways and killing nearby fish.
Through their cooperation with local ecosystems, organic farms avoid damaging the environment. These examples reveal how technology can help, even while adapting to natural processes:
Fertilization and Yield
To increase yields, conventional farmers use chemical fertilizers. But mechanical tools can be suitable alternatives. The roller crimper, a device dragged by a tractor through alfalfa and hay fields during harvest, breaks down the cell walls of plant stems to accelerate decomposition. This man-made tool increases soil fertility by speeding up the natural decomposition process – without artificial chemicals.
Another simple innovation that can increase yield quantity in organic farms is the hoop house, which is very much like a greenhouse – only easier, faster, and cheaper to build. Consisting of plastic supported by flexible piping over raised beds, it extends the growing season by protecting crops from bad weather and keeping them warm. More crops can then be produced for the local market, avoiding the need to import them from another location (which cuts down on potential carbon emissions). This research-oriented improvement helps farmers increase yields and benefit financially in a clean way.
Organic Pest and Weed Control
Pesticides and herbicides are notorious in conventional farming, and apples are especially vulnerable. Conventional farmers use potent substances in apple orchards to get rid of codling moths, tent caterpillars and other destructive pests and diseases. Organic farmers use safe alternatives, such as Surround, a type of biodegradable clay, which is sprayed on apples to confuse insects. Once affected, pests no longer recognize apples as food. The clay washes off and dissolves in rain, so it has no harmful effects.
Thanks to a better understanding of insect mating habits and chemistry, organic farmers can also strategically destroy pest populations without touching crops or soil. They set up sticky traps coated with female pheromones, attracting male flies and maggots that typically harm crops. The pests come in to mate, become trapped, and eventually die.
A Delicate Balance
Adhering to strict standards has forced organic farmers into creative action. Nature and technology, two frequently polar opposites, have seldom shared such a symbiotic relationship.
Pure technology or not, organic farmers can merge nature and human creation to improve efficiency and protect produce.
From Guest Author Hunter Richards of Software Advice. The original article appears at Organic Farmers: Can They Be Tech Savvy?
Very good article. I had never heard of Surround before, very interesting product.