Sustainability

“To make agriculture sustainable, the grower has got to be able to make a profit.” – Sam Farr

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The topic of sustainability seems to be coming up more and more in my professional life and it seems to be a very murky topic, to say the least. I believe this is because everyone has different definitions of what sustainability is both in and out of the agriculture industry. Not that I can solve this problem and unify the definition of sustainability but I do wish to define it as I see it from the lens of a 5th generation farmer and agriculture professional. As I see it there are three main tenents to the topic of sustainability when it comes to agriculture. These are:

·???????? Environmental Sustainability

·???????? Profitability

·???????? Longevity

First the obvious one, the one we all think about, environmental sustainability. Now this is where I may ruffle some feathers. This does not mean cover crops, no-till, reduced crop protection, or fertilizer rates. However, this can include all of those and more. I define environmental sustainability as doing what is best for your specific field in the long term with the information you have at the time you make that decision. The key in that definition is “long term” not letting what is best for me at the moment outweigh the long term effects. The second key is with the information you have at the time. You see this is why sustainability can be such a murky topic. Agriculture is a science and like any science, we learn more every day which in turn makes the way we manage our farm a constant evolution. For example, if we have a problem with soil moving down a slope there is a multitude of things we can do to solve this problem and often the solution is a combination of practices. We could limit tillage, farm on a contour, build a terrace, utilize cover crops, the list can go on and on and the solution that is right for your farm may be different than it is for another. A second great example is nutrient management. In a perfect world, we would spoon-feed a crop exactly what it needs when it needs it. Now in reality that is a difficult thing to do at scale. So we ideally follow something like 4R principles when it comes to managing fertility. Applying not only when it makes sense for our crop but when we can logistically get it done at scale as well. Then use the right product, application method, and rate for the time we are applying.

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I really think profitability is the most important item on this list. It is also the most overlooked when we talk about sustainability. There is a simple reason I include profitability in the way I define sustainability. A business that loses money won’t be in business very long. If we make changes to a farming operation to increase environmental sustainability but it causes that farm to go bankrupt we have a terrible business model. So how do we blend environmental sustainability with profitability? That is the billion-dollar question. I don’t claim to have the answer but I have some ideas. When we look at environmental practices there are ways they would increase profitability. Reduction of inputs, more efficient utilization of inputs, and increased yield to name a few. There are also outside agreements through climate-smart programs, tax incentives, etc. to add to the mix. The right blend of these options will vary for every farming operation and I don’t have any concrete recommendations here. There are many ways to cut this so do your research, try some things on your farm and I’ll repeat it from earlier make the best decision you can with the information you have at the time. I’ll make a controversial statement here. The best option for you today might be to do nothing but the key to that is to still be constantly evaluating so you do know when it is time to make a practice change.

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Finally, longevity. I think it is often mistaken that previous generations cared less about soil health and sustainability than we do today. They definitely knew less about soil science and environmental interactions than we know today but I don’t think that translates into a lack of care. If you could go back in time and ask farmers from generations past what their most precious resource is I think it would be a unanimous answer of soil. Which is why a sustainable farm has longevity. Every generation from the first to the most current has done what they think is best to continue an operation for generations by caring for their most precious resource and I think the amount of multi-generation farms that exist only stands to prove that longevity is one of the main markers of sustainability.

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In closing, I think the definition of sustainability could be different for every farming operation but I think we need to focus less on definitions and terms like regenerative, sustainable, and so on to focus on what the previous generations of farmers knew but didn’t have to define. Leaving a piece of ground a little better than how you found it so that those who come after you can work on it and enjoy it.